Of Sparrows and Princes
by sllebswap
Summary: BelHaru TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2442

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/11/09

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Chapter One

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The Varia Headquarters really was huge, Haru thought warily to herself as she trailed behind her guide. It was based within a stately, majestic-looking castle, and everywhere she turned, the proud crest of the Varia could be seen in one form or another.

The Vongola Famiglia's elite, independent assassination team.

Not for the first time, Haru had to suppress a small shiver of dismay at the fearsome reputation of the Varia.

Inner Haru cried a waterfall of tears. She hadn't wanted to come here at all, utterly alone in a foreign country and surrounded by a group of possibly hostile strangers, but there was simply no choice. Her specialty was required right here in Italy and the fact that she was part of the Juudaime's family, and by extension, the Vongola, quickly made her the perfect candidate for the job.

It was only mere months after the war with Byakuran and the Millefiore Famiglia ended, and everything was still a big mess. In the digital age that they were in now, where sensitive information could be easily accessed and stolen through the skillful hacking of encrypted files and heavily protected and firewalled servers, it was imperative that the many secrets of the Vongola clan remain concealed from the prying eyes of their enemies and foes. The all consuming war with the Millefiore Famiglia had taken its toll on the Vongola's manpower and resources, and of course, now that it was over, the other power hungry scavengers emerged from their dens, gleefully scrutinizing the wounded predator for any signs of weakness, probing, waiting, watching.

The Varia were more than happy—and capable—to remove any physical threats to the Vongola, but it was the virtual ones that they could not protect against. Their skills were that of assassins, not computer techs, and when it came to matters of information security and networks, the same group of lethal men quickly found themselves at a complete loss.

And that was where Haru conveniently came in. At the age of twenty-four, she was probably one of the youngest and most talented in the field of information technology. When her fourteen year old self had travelled a decade into the present-future, she had been so impressed by Irie Shouichi-san's skills—one of which had indirectly helped turned the tide of war in their favor—that she had immediately put her mind to working hard to enter the world of digital technology when she had returned to her past time.

Haru was a very smart girl, and she also knew that she would never be able to have the sort of awesome powers like Tsuna and his six Guardians. However, that didn't necessarily mean she couldn't help support them in other areas instead.

The result of her determination and hard work quickly bore fruit in the form of her outstanding academic achievements. Like her father, she was naturally gifted in mathematics. Computer programming and advanced algorithms were a breeze to tackle, and she found great joy in solving difficult problems that even her professors had trouble decoding. Therefore, it surprised no one, when at the tender age of twenty-four, Miura Haru already had a PhD in Information Technology under her belt, from the prestigious Tokyo University.

And now, the skills that she had originally taken up to help Tsuna and her friends were urgently requested by the Vongola Famiglia in Italy, to safeguard the sensitive information that the large clan possessed. Haru wasn't quite certain of the details, but it seemed that the servers that archived everything related to the Vongola were kept in the hearth of the Varia Headquarters, which made some sense.

After all, no matter how tempting the rewards might be, not many would dare enter the lions' den and still hope to emerge alive.

Depressively, Haru only wished that she didn't feel as if she was about to be eaten as well. _Tsuna_, she thought as a wailing Inner Haru returned with a vengeance, _help me!!_

The young woman was startled out of her thoughts when the servant brought her to the entrance of the formal drawing room that the executives of the Varia were supposed to receive her in. The man knocked politely before grabbing the twin handles of the French doors with an elegant flourish. He retreated slightly after to allow Haru entrance first, and nervously, the pretty brunette stepped into the room.

With mild trepidation, Haru stood uncertainly at the entrance and stared at the five uniformed men lounging around in various areas of the large room, before her eyes finally alighted on the only one of them whom she was only remotely familiar with.

Superbia Squalo, the Battle Commander of the Varia troops, crossed his arms against his chest and scowled. This Miura Haru was supposedly the same age as Sawada Tsunayoshi and a computer genius as well, though at the moment, the silver-haired swordsman only saw a timid looking girl who was almost scared out of her wits, frazzled and exhausted from her long intercontinental trip here. She had been a lot younger the last time he saw her, which was only months ago for him, but of course, probably a decade or so for her. Her youthful features had not changed, though her hair seemed to be shorter. Not for the first time since this decision had been made by the higher ups, Squalo wondered if this child-like woman was up to the task allotted to her.

Sitting beside him on the couch, legs crossed elegantly at the knees, an elbow resting negligently on the armrest and head tilted slightly at the sight before him, Belphegor snorted softly under his breath, apparently not impressed by the slender female's wary countenance.

Squalo decided to get this 'welcoming session' of their newest, albeit temporary, member over and done with quickly before the woman could pass out from fright.

"Come closer, Miura Haru," the silver-haired swordsman commanded sharply. "You are amongst allies and we will do you no harm, so you can stop acting like a skittish rabbit."

The blonde prince chuckled at that. "I don't think she's acting," he commented archly, his soft tone rich with sardonic humor.

Lussuria, the flamboyant martial arts master of the Varia, decided to take pity on the poor, bewildered woman. The peculiar-haired man strutted over to the stiffening brunette, gave her a kindly smile, and extended his hand out to her.

"Hello, Haru-san," he spoke in impeccable Japanese. "My name is Lussuria, nice to meet you."

He was radiating such good vibes that Haru could only take his hand and gave it a firm shake. When he finally let go, Haru gave him a polite, earnest bow. "Haru is happy to meet you too, Lussuria-san," she spoke for the very first time, her normally vibrant voice somewhat subdued but still confident, and Lussuria laughed.

"Ohho! You Japanese are all so cute and polite!" the tall man chortled with amusement. "Tell me, how is Ryohei-kun? He hasn't visited for months and I want to spar with him again!"

The mention of the Sun Guardian seemed to be the correct thing to do, for Haru's dour mood lifted at the thought of her friends back home. "Ah, Ryohei-san and some of the other Guardians are busy assisting Tsuna in resetting the operations in Japan," Haru replied. "They are all doing quite well, Lussuria-san."

"That's wonderful! Come now, Haru-chan! Oh, do you mind if I call you Haru-chan? No? Then come, Haru-chan, let me introduce you to the rest!"

Before Haru could prepare herself, she was dragged right into the middle of the large room. Now surrounded on all sides by the Varia executives, Haru froze slightly, but Lussuria did not seem to notice.

"See, that tall man leaning against the wall there?" the overly cheerful man all but trilled out in joy as he pointed to the intimidating-looking person with a shock of wild black hair, a goatee, and a moustache that seemed to stick straight out on either side of his face like a pair of horizontal handlebars. He looked to be equipped with umbrellas tucked in a crisscross fashion behind his back, and was looking fiercely at her. "That's Levi! Levi has a not-so-secret crush on our boss, but it's okay to tell you since you are one of us now."

Haru was momentarily speechless by Lussuria's happy commentary, but thankfully enough, there seemed to be no need for her to acknowledge his statements. She bowed quickly to acknowledge the man before Lussuria turned her gaze to the next member. "And that is Fran. He is our newest Varia, before you, of course. But since you are only a support member, he's still the newbie!"

Haru looked at Fran. He looked younger than she was, and she was almost certain that he was only a teen still. Haru did not know what to make of the large frog hat that the turquoise-haired youth wore, though she greeted him politely as well. Younger or not, Fran-san had most definitely earned the right to be here amongst these dangerous assassins and Haru decided to give him the same respect that she would give all of the Varia. Fran looked at her apathetically from his perch on the window ledge, but surprisingly enough, said nothing. He also didn't acknowledge her greeting, but once more, Lussuria hustled Haru away before she could think too much of it.

Her attention was finally brought to the last two occupants of the room, one sprawled indifferently on the couch with careless grace, the other frowning subtly at her almost as if displeased by the sight of her.

"Well, the shaggy blonde one is Belphegor, but we all call him Bel for short. You should call him that too-" Lussaria would have blathered on some more if not for the fact that the 'Bel' in question swiftly interrupted him with a blade to the face. He moved so fast and Haru didn't even see him produce _and_ throw the wing-shaped knife until Lussuria cheerfully caught it between his index and middle fingers.

"You will address me only as Belphegor-sama, woman, is that clear?" There was something eerily dangerous in the golden-haired man's deceptively pleasant tone, and even though he looked to be smiling at her, Haru thought that his eyes would probably be cold as ice had her sight not been hindered by the long fringe that covered a good half of his face. Still, it chaffed her to be spoken down to like that, and she stiffened slightly. Her earlier subdued, unsure demeanor was swiftly brushed aside as her normally more assertive personality took its place. She would not tolerate being treated like some second rate citizen, especially when it was they who required her expertise, and not vice versa.

"Haru will not do that," she declared firmly as she gave the blonde a small frown. "Haru does not give respect to people who are rude and mean."

Then, resolve made, she proceeded to completely ignore the not-so-nice Belphegor, narrowly missing the way Squalo had to reach over to pluck the blade that the prince had been about to aim at her head out of his hand.

"Stop that!" the bad-tempered silver-haired man beside the blonde barked out at last, startling Haru with the sudden rise in volume. "The woman can call you whatever she damn well pleases. She belongs to the family of Sawada Tsunayoshi; hurt her and you can answer for it yourself, Bel." Lifting his hard gaze to Haru next, he continued. "Miura Haru, welcome to the Varia Headquarters. Do you remember me?"

Haru nodded.

"Yes, Squalo-san, I remember you. You helped trained Yamamoto-kun to activate his Vongola Weapon Box during the war."

Squalo nodded. "In that case, you should understand that you are in no danger here. We are Vongola," the silver-haired man stated matter-of-factly.

Haru nodded slowly, not sure if she should believe him, especially with that blonde smirking oh so insanely beside him. She was polite enough not to voice her doubts, though. "Alright."

"With the exception of our leader, Xanxus, all the Varia executives are here. This meeting is more for our benefit than yours; some of these idiots here like to attack first and ask questions later, so I want them to recognize you on sight. No doubt Sawada Tsunayoshi would be displeased should something happen to you."

"Geh. I still might attack," Belphegor threatened with a charming grin, and much to Haru's alarm, he was brandishing a few of those deadly-looking blades in his hand again.

"Ohohohoho! He will do no such thing, of course!" Lussuria laughed genially, seeking to reassure the skittish woman. "Our Bel is just full of humor today, isn't he, Fran?"

The teal-eyed youth did not seem to care one way or another. "Not really," he finally spoke in his dull and indifferent manner. "Bel-sempai is twisted and insane every day."

The fact that the man in question only chuckled with amusement made Haru wonder just what sort of madmen lived here. She felt a headache coming up, and surprisingly enough, was beginning to lose her temper as well. She was not the only one.

"Voi!! _Do not_ interrupt me, you bastards!" Squalo's eyelid ticked with agitation as he yelled at his fellow members, and when they finally settled down again, he took a deep, irritated breath and turned back to the brunette.

"As I was saying, no one will dare harm you here. You are under the protection of the Varia, and we will ensure a safe environment for you to work in. The Vongola archives are situated in the underground dungeons of this castle, protected by the best security systems in the world as well as by our own people. Only the Varia executives have the authority and the pass codes to access the restricted area, so you will need to be accompanied by one of us at all times when you work."

Haru nodded once again, clearly agreeing to the terms. It wasn't as if she could say otherwise, anyhow.

"As such, Bel will be your designated guide for the duration of your stay here."

This time around, Haru's expression of dismay could not be hidden. The stab-happy blonde was to be her shadow for as long as her services were required here. Belatedly, she realized why the man seemed to dislike her so. He was her glorified babysitter, and Haru cringed inwardly when he flashed her an extra large, cocky grin.

"Well then, my little spring sparrow," he seemed to purr whilst radiating hostile intent. "Let's get along well, shall we?"

Inner Haru whimpered.

_

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_

::owari::

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

In this fic, Haru is twenty-four years old and Belphegor is twenty-six.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Yup, you read correctly. Haru is a computer geek, or rather, a techie, and one who's exceptionally good at what she does. I have no plans to turn her into some super powered Mary-Sue, but I believe it is reasonable to assume that Haru has the intelligence and drive to succeed in whichever field she chooses to work in. Her father is a math professor after all, not to mention that she herself once studied in a prestigious girls' academy. I really believe that Haru is a lot smarter than she lets on, so it's really a joy to write her TYL and imagine what she would be like. Of course, she's still physically weak compared to any of the Varia and the Vongola protagonists, but she won't lose to any of them when it comes to brain power!

…at least, that's my story and I'm not changing it for anything else!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

While this is not my first foray into FF Net, it is definitely my first time writing for KHR, so I hope I haven't botched up the characters' personalities too much.

…By the way, dear readers, there will definitely be bits and pieces of M-rated material scattered throughout the entirety of this fic. I have warned you!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 3332

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/11/09

**

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Chapter Two

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The first few days in the motherland of the Vongola were definitely the hardest for Haru. The jetlag from the long trip made her feel sleepy and tired most of the time, and the drastic change in time zone did not help matters any. Everything was different; the food, the culture, the language, and even the weather. Trying her best to get used to everything around her as quickly as possible only made her feel more homesick and miserable, and not surprisingly, Haru spent as much time as she could working hard in the dungeon vaults and the rest cooped up in her room, resting, and even then, still working. When she wasn't busy thinking up complicated programs that could possibly be integrated with the more offensive physical security measures to further beef up the overall security of the archive servers, she was calling back home to talk to her friends and family.

It helped to pass the time, and she didn't feel quite as lonely after she got to speak to Tsuna, Kyoko-chan, and the rest.

She was a bit wary of her dangerous hosts, and most of all, really wanted little to do with the one named 'Belphegor.' Not so incidentally, he was also her guide and guardian within this large castle; she was even placed in the suite beside his for that purpose. Much to her dismay, he was by default the one she saw the most every day.

Haru didn't like her timid countenance very much, but she was all alone in a foreign land, surrounded by strangers who made their living by killing for the Mafia, and she reckoned that she had the right to feel a bit depressed. The Varia weren't all that bad though; it just took some getting used to, living with them. Haru didn't know what to expect when she was told that she would be staying with the Vongola's elite assassination team, but whatever it was, their individual eccentricities were certainly not part of what she had imagined.

Lussuria was gay as a flaming flamingo, Levi's God and religion was his esteemed Leader, Xanxus-sama, Squalo was loud and violent and seemed to like to yell at/smack around people every chance he got, Fran had serious authority-issues, and Belphegor was just plain insane.

Haru hadn't met Xanxus yet, but if his Varia executives were to be of any indication, then he was probably just as batty. Still, she was secretly relieved that she hadn't run into the Varia's leader for now; the supposed 'prince' Belphegor was giving her enough trouble as it was.

Her guide slash guard had been expressly (and repeatedly) warned not to harm her, but that didn't mean he could not make her life a living hell. The blonde-haired male was the most infuriating person she ever had the misfortune to meet. He was exceedingly mean and arrogant and _childish_, and because he had no choice but to be stuck with her, she was forced to put up with his cruel words and antics as well.

From what she heard from the chatty Lussuria in regards to Belphegor, the man was twenty-six years old but clearly preferred to behave like a petulant little kid, albeit a completely crazy one.

Haru had tried her best to ignore him, she really did, but it was difficult to be objective and focus on her job at the same time when he was breathing over her shoulder and snarkily belittling her every chance he got. She had been nothing but cordial to him, wary of the blades that he seemed to toy around in his long, thin fingers with such graceful dexterity that it was completely disturbing, but of course, he probably only saw her as a sitting duck for his verbal target practice. She had curbed her tongue and controlled her own boiling temper around him out of a healthy interest for her own preservation as well as a perverse sense of glee in not giving him the satisfaction of knowing just how he was driving her up the wall, but it seemed as though her efforts at keeping her calm only fuelled his desire to incite a violent reaction out of her.

The first time he accidentally 'lost' her in the myriad, somewhat intimidating hallways of the large castle, she had sucked it up, bravely went exploring the area by her lonesome for a bit before she ran into one of the lower-ranked Varia soldiers who kindly showed her back to her original destination. The blonde prince hadn't looked all that surprised—or concerned—when he saw her reappearance, though he did give her that disturbingly cruel grin of his and remarked that he hadn't noticed that she was no longer following him.

It was the most ridiculous excuse she had ever heard if any, but Haru kept her composure—barely. That night after dinner, she had quietly requested permission from Squalo-san for a floor plan of the castle, and though the silver-haired swordsman had given her a strange look, he had granted her harmless request nonetheless. She made no mention of Belphegor's nasty mischief either, though the next time the dratted blonde man purposely 'lost' her again, Haru took smug joy in quickly finding her way back herself, taking a shortcut instead of the usual long, deliberately winding path that Belphegor normally had her walk.

His momentary pause of surprise when he saw her already waiting at the entrance of the dungeon on his arrival was completely worth her effort of spending an entire night memorizing the entire layout of the castle in order to outsmart him, though of course, he quickly found something else to antagonize her with.

So, the short two weeks of their acquaintance/mutual working existence flowed more or less along the same vein, though by then, Haru's flightily pleasant mask was beginning to crack and similarly, Belphegor was getting immensely irritated by her refusal to lodge a complaint regarding his outrageous behavior, subsequently freeing him from this ridiculous babysitting job.

"Hmm, those books look pretty heavy," the lanky prince commented with an airy, innocent smile as he walked beside his struggling charge, his arms raised and his hands stacked lazily behind his crowned head as he made no effort to offer his help. They were on their way out of the archive vaults, calling it a day since it was nearly time for dinner. Haru had also brought with her a few logbooks detailing the past operation and maintenance of the security systems in the dungeons back to her room for some light reading later. Each of the volumes were thicker than the width of her palm, and about as long as the length of her forearm, and left with no choice, Haru had to carry them and stagger alongside Belphegor's long legged strides.

She gave the blonde a half hearted glare. She was so mentally exhausted reviewing the existing program that protected the Vongola archives that she didn't even have the energy to act like her usual happy self.

"Quit picking on Haru, you meanie," she grumbled tiredly. "Unlike you, I have been working all day today! Ahh, my head hurts."

The shaggy-haired blonde didn't even spare her a glance. "And I care because?" he asked indifferently. "You are the reason why I have nothing to do. Geh, you are not even useful for target practice. Hey," he demanded suddenly. "Go tell Squalo that I have been bullying you and that you request to work with somebody else."

She looked at him with disbelief.

"No," she replied stubbornly. "I represent Tsuna by being here and there's no way I will embarrass him by making such irrational requests. The Juudaime's family is _not_ weak and will not be pushed around like that."

He paused and watched her inscrutably. She stopped as well and gave him a good frown. Was he trying to intimidate her?

"Oh? Do you really believe that?" he asked silkily. "You, who cannot even fight?"

Haru stiffened.

"There are other ways to provide support for the family," she stated firmly, not about to budge from her stand.

He scoffed softly.

"So you provide that sort of support?" There was an imperceptibly loaded undertone in his question, and she stared at him with incomprehension. "I didn't think that the Decimo and his Guardians shared a similar lousy taste in women."

Haru was quickly beginning to understand what he was insinuating. She started to turn red.

"Y-you!! I wasn't talking about that sort of thing! Who do you think we are?!" she snapped, flustered. "And what do you mean by 'lousy taste?'"

He grinned viciously at her offended question, dropping his arms from his head and down to his side, glad that she had taken the bait.

"You aren't much to look at, are you? Average face, short height, boyish figure, no chest to speak of whatsoever…shall I continue?"

The tone of malicious amusement in his voice was unmistakable, and she looked so very outraged that it was almost funny to see. The fact that he seemed to have rendered her momentarily speechless was an added bonus, and he cocked his head slightly at her.

"Have you changed your mind about lodging that complaint to Squalo yet, or need I say some more?"

Haru gritted her teeth. Denying this utterly rude man had now become a matter of principle. No matter what he did or said to her now, there was no way she would ever agree to whatever he wanted.

"I'm not going to change my mind no matter what you say," she growled angrily as she started to walk again, intent on leaving this horrible person as far behind her as possible. Unfortunately for her, he easily fell in place beside her, completely free and unhindered by the heavy books that slowed her down.

He chuckled, gleefully savoring her high strung agitation.

"I will just continue to drive you mad enough that you will be begging to be free of my company, hmm?"

Haru narrowed her eyes at him.

"Haru won't get mad," she promised him haughtily at last.

"But Haru _will_ get even."

* * *

It never even occurred to Belphegor to be wary of his charge, despite her threats the previous day. She was just a computer tech after all, what harm could she do?

As it turned out, hell truly hath no fury like a woman scorned.

The day started out normally enough. She seemed to have returned to normal when he saw her first thing in the morning. If anything, she seemed to have completely forgotten about their little altercation last night and was more preoccupied with poring through the ridiculously thick logbook that she was carrying around. She was also ignoring him as usual and her sentiment was duly reciprocated. He wasn't a morning person at all, and was only too glad to be left the hell alone until he either had some coffee and/or had caused some irreparable bloodshed.

Breakfast came and went without a hitch. Lussuria presided over the table as usual, crowing enthusiastically over the new day like some demented, overgrown cockerel. He was wedged between a broody Levi and a deadpan Fran, whereas Belphegor sat on the other side of the table with Haru. Xanxus seldom attended breakfast with the rest of the Varia executives, and everyone just gave the grumpy Squalo a wide berth—the bad-tempered swordsman was even more notorious for lopping off heads in the morning.

Then, once the compulsory morning meal with the executives was concluded, everyone separated to fulfill their objectives. Unfortunately enough, Belphegor was still stuck with Haru, which was really even worse than babysitting Fran a few months back. At least Fran could be smacked around and still prove to be somewhat entertaining. His current charge was so weak that attacking her would be akin to stabbing an already dead animal, one that was already cooked _and_ served on a plate.

Huh. How exciting would that be?

Not to mention, their Leader had already given his word to the higher ups that this woman would not come to any harm as long as she was in Varia territory. To go against Xanxus' word would be a bad idea indeed, not to mention, Sawada Tsunayoshi and that ragtag group he claimed as family would be crawling all over the Varia castle like an extremely bad rash.

In conclusion, no killing the woman. In fact, no killing anything at all, period.

Geh. His life sucked so hard that it wasn't even funny.

Not even paying attention to what he was doing, Belphegor punched the long string of numbers that was the pass code into the keypad situated at the barred entrance of the imposing dungeon before lazily allowing the biometric reader do a palm and retinal scan on his person, well used to the troublesome procedure by now. Eventually, his identity was confirmed and the vault entrance started to open with loud, mechanical hisses. The huge hunk of thick, steel reinforced concrete that was the door swung open first, and beyond that, thick steel bars slid back soundlessly into standby position within the metallic ceiling. Five panels of consecutive, metallic, floor to ceiling walls, each an imposing foot wide and designed to withstand at least a direct C4 explosives impact, opened one after another, unblocking the long and narrow walkway and revealing the huge underground chamber at the end of it.

The entire dungeon was completely encased on all sides in thick, impenetrable metal. Powerful fluorescent lighting flickered on in sections, shedding artificial light on row upon row of computer servers, standing like cold, silent sentries that guarded not only the ominous secrets of the Vongola Famiglia's long history of violence and bloodshed, but also the many transactions of the immensely powerful Mafia Family, financial and otherwise, past, present, and future. A significant portion of the servers also controlled the day-to-day operation of the Varia Headquarters, overseeing part of the internal security within the castle parameters and providing backup power supply when needed, as well as redundant data communication connections and advanced environmental controls.

For a castle as ancient and rich in history as the one that the Varia were based in, it was certainly downright impressive that she was so advancedly equipped in the technological sector.

The cold blasts of air from the powerful sets of air conditioners that worked twenty four seven within the dungeon to cool down the servers rushed at the two newcomers, and whereas Haru flinched slightly at the cold, huddling deeper into her thick jacket for warmth, Belphegor did not seem at all affected by the sudden drop in temperature. He strolled confidently down the now unhindered walkway, though he did not make it very far.

A quarter down the length of the metallic pathway, his movements triggered the sensors installed along the particular portion of wall panels. The alarms started to shrill long and loud, and the prince paused. Well. This had never happened before.

A small movement by the edge of his vision caught his attention, and Belphegor turned his head sharply to the top corner of the wall and nearly got blinded for his efforts. The thin, stick-like object that protruded from the ceiling folded itself in half and proceeded to emit a sharp flare of crimson light over him.

"Motion Detected. Scanning In Process… Scanning Complete. Processing Image. Hostile Body Detected. Varia Crest…Affirmative. Hair color code #d6c65e…Affirmative. Lack of Ocular Implants…Affirmative." The mechanical, robotic voice droned on, and Belphegor twitched imperceptibly. Lack of ocular—did the damn thing just imply that he had no eyes?! "Server Admin Control, Please Advise Next Course Of Action For iDAMU Within The Next Twenty Seconds, Or Lethal Action Will Commence."

As promised, the same toneless mechanical voice started the countdown, and Belphegor was inwardly incredulous. 'I damn you?' What the hell sort of name was that? And why on earth was he marked down as a hostile body? The blonde was beginning to suspect that perhaps the security system had malfunctioned. Either that, or it had been tampered with—

Haru took the opportunity to slip past her guide and venture hurriedly ahead of him. Reflexively, he tried to grab hold of her, but at his slightest movement, a fine beam of concentrated laser shot out from the same device at the corner, and he quickly abandoned his course of action, dodging a fraction to the right to avoid the deadly projection. Still, the smell of singed hair filtered down to his nose, and his lips curled ever so slightly with increasing agitation. In swift retaliation, his blade flew right at the mouth of the stick-like device, only for the powerful laser to completely vaporize the sturdy piece of metal before his eyes.

Belphegor stared wordlessly at the powerful weapon, impressed by its highly destructive properties.

Then, Haru spoke.

"Server Admin Control to Integrated Defense and Assault Mechanical Unit, pass code three-zero-zero-four-one-two. Activate," the brunette commanded in a clear, precise voice, completely different from her usual lighthearted and ditzy demeanor. "Initiate Phase Three of Hostile Neutralization Procedure Armageddon, to be upgraded continuously to next Phase should Opposition refuses to be nullified. Server Admin Control to Integrated Defense and Assault Mechanical Unit, pass code three-zero-zero-four-one-two. Commence."

"Command Acknowledged. Initiating Lockdown in Thirty Seconds. Thirty. Twenty-Nine. Twenty-Eight…"

Haru looked at the blonde prince then, and smiled.

"You were bored, weren't you?" she asked sweetly, the earlier professional countenance changing back to something else, although the particular vengeful glint in her eyes was anything but docile and pleasant. So much for his notion that she had already dismissed yesterday's events from her mind. If anything, he had completely read the situation wrongly. She must have been more sensitive of her chest size or lack thereof than he had first thought.

"I hope you don't mind testing out the initial stages of the improved physical security system that I'm planning to integrate with the servers. It's a bit similar to the one that I have designed for the secret base back in Japan, but different at the same time. I had to make do with the existing physical weapons within the dungeon vaults, so there are only ten phases for now. Since you are the Varia elite, I skipped straight to Phase Three just for you. See you later. Don't die, ne?"

Belphegor lifted his wary attention from the laser weapon to Haru. It finally occurred to him just what her revenge entailed. He smiled back. Unfortunately, there was nothing genial in the way he bared his teeth at her.

"I will make you pay for this later, little sparrow."

In response, the damn woman had the gall to wave to him as the paneled walls started to slide close with ominous pneumatic hisses, leaving him trapped within the narrow, enclosed walkway whereas she was safely separated on the other side of the thick walls, in the safety of the main dungeons. The heavy vault door and the steel bars behind him had long since sealed themselves shut, and Belphegor observed his surroundings carefully.

The mechanical countdown tapered to an end.

All was silent for a blessed moment.

The unreadable blonde prince tensed ever so slightly, his sharp blades materializing in his hands almost instantaneously.

Then, without any warning, small, paneled sections of the false walls on either side of him slid open, and the mini-canons hidden within emerged with uniformed, quiet whirls. They turned to him and clicked into place. From the ceiling, several laser weapons similar to the first one that had singed his hair dropped forth, all directed towards him with swift precision. Within seconds, his body was bathed in an array of small red lights.

The mechanical voice boomed around him.

"Phase Three of Hostile Neutralization Procedure Armageddon. Test Encounter One. Commencing."

The lasers hummed to life.

The canons discharged with deafening roars.

All hell broke loose.

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Haru is not really as much of a pushover as Belphegor likes to think. She's a bit wary and unsure of her place amongst this new Varia dynamics at the moment, but Bel's pushing has certainly cleared things up quickly. Once again, she may not be as strong as the others or possess any special abilities, but give her a few machines and a computer to tinker with and she will work magic, which Bel will now learn the hard way, unfortunately.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Just to make things a bit clearer, this series of one-shots may not always be updated in chronological order, even though they all occur in the same AU-verse. To make things less confusing, do take each one-shot separately unless I indicate otherwise.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2711

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/11/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Three

* * *

Lussuria was enjoying his afternoon tea with his Sun Unit subordinates in the dojo when Haru peeped over.

"Lussuria-san?" the brunette young woman called out from the entrance of the large sparring area and the colorful-haired Varia turned and cheerily waved her over.

"Hello there, Haru-chan! Come on in, come on in! Are you here to join us for tea? The new patissier has created the most delicious choux a la crème today. C'est delicieux!"

Haru shook her head slightly, politely declining his warm invitation. "I'm wondering if I can request the use of your Pavone Del Sereno, Lussuria-san?"

"Oh? Are you hurt, Haru-chan? Why do you need Coo-chan's Healing Panel?" Lussuria noticed the slightly bloodied pelt of pure white that Haru was carrying in her arms then. Like its owner, it wore a small crown on its head and had a long fringe that covered its eyes. Its normally fiery plume of tail comprising completely of crimson storm flame was but a shadow of its usual flare, and Lussuria lifted an eyebrow above his sunglasses.

"Hmm? Isn't that Bel's Mink, Visione Tempesta?"

Haru nodded.

"Belphegor needs a bit of patching up," she blurted out sheepishly at last. "Uh, he sort of volunteered this morning to test out the initial phases of the new offensive program that I'm trying to integrate with the main security system in the dungeons, and only just came out. This little fella was with him, and Belphegor's sort of passed out at the moment. I don't know how injured he is, so I didn't dare to move him."

Lussuria looked surprised.

"But Mink let you touch him?" The box animal was notorious for being as high strung and temperamental as its owner, and normally didn't like to be handled by anyone but the prince.

Haru nodded, not finding anything strange with the situation. She gently patted the rich fur of the quivering animal. "So you are called Mink, huh?" she mused quietly before answering Lussuria. "Yeah, Mink didn't return to his box, and was trying to protect Belphegor, actually. Can you help, please, Lussuria-san?"

"Of course!" the martial arts expert agreed amiably. "Anything to help my dear comrade-in-arms!!! He's still in the dungeons, you say?! Al~right!!! Let's go now!" With the passionate declaration, Lussuria got up from his chair, bid his subordinates a cheery goodbye, and flounced out of the dojo in his usual flamboyant manner, leaving a somewhat bewildered Haru to trail behind him.

"Come on, Haru-chan! Chop, chop! Hurry up! The lady knight-in-shining-armor has to be there when the prince wakes up, ne~? Ohhohohohoh!!!"

* * *

When Belphegor regained consciousness, the first thing he realized was that he was no longer injured. The next thing he realized was that he was no longer in the dungeons, but rather, lying on his bed, in his private suite.

The last thing he noticed was that the face of Miura Haru was looming over his, and that she was waving a dangerous looking pair of scissors mere inches before his eyes.

He reacted accordingly to the situation, and before the woman could even realize that he was awake, his hand shot out, hard fingers manacling her wrist, and pulled. She yelped with surprise when he made use of the strong momentum to flip her onto her back beside him, and her breath whooshed out of her when he rolled on top of her in one smooth movement. The sharp tip of the scissors was promptly pressed alarmingly hard against her jugular, and Haru froze.

"What are you doing?" His long hair covered his eyes perfectly as usual, though for once, he wasn't smiling.

"E-eh? I was cutting your fringe for you." Haru was definitely stunned by how quickly he had moved, and the position of the scissors was not helping matters any. The sharp tip dug harder into her skin, and she flinched with discomfort. He curled his lips with contempt.

"You dare take such liberties?" Eerily enough, there was no emotion in his blank question, though she could somehow sense his fury. This was bad. Very bad.

"Lussuria-san brought you back and healed you with Coo-chan. Then he had to return to the dojo and asked me to stay behind to help you because you still might be a bit unsteady from the accelerated healing."

He leered cruelly at her, and brought his face closer to hers.

"And whose fault is that?" he breathed out sharply, and she froze momentarily.

"You are angry," she commented lamely at last.

"Very perceptive of you to realize that now. Did you have to think very hard to come to that conclusion?" The sarcasm in his voice was thick and the amount of killing intent he was emitting was impressive, but for the life of her, Haru just could not take him seriously at the moment. All it took was one good look at this man currently sitting on top of her, and she completely lost it.

Haru tried, she tried really very hard, but she could only control herself for so much and much to Belphegor's astonishment, she suddenly burst out laughing.

He looked at her incredulously. She was giggling so hard that even her slender frame was shaking with her laughter. Had the fear addled her head?

"Oi, have you gone mad?" he demanded at last, the intimidating atmosphere that he had cultivated earlier dissipating quickly in the face of her mirth. The prince was also somewhat put out that she didn't seem very terrified of him. What was with this woman? Was there something fundamentally wrong with her brain? She had never been particularly afraid of him even in the very beginning; that was one of the most irritating things about her, amongst many others.

Che. Sawada Tsunayoshi and his family really were all idiots.

"…Coo-chan…Healing Panel…side effects…" the hysterical woman could barely gasp out, all but crying with laughter. Belphegor stilled when he finally realized what she was talking about, and abruptly, the stinging pressure of the scissors against the side of her throat disappeared as he dropped the cutting tool in favor of touching his face. Thankfully enough, it was smooth as if he had just shaved, there was no absurd amount of facial hair growth and even his fingernails were their usual immaculate, expertly trimmed appearance.

His relief was short lived, however.

"W-when Lussuria was done with you, you looked like a blonde-haired Sadako or the Abominable Snowman, with long nails and an even longer beard. And sideburns, oh, the sideburns," Haru barely choked out with pure mirth. Not surprisingly, he hardly appreciated her humor at his expense. Before he could lose his temper and stab her or something, she continued. "I had to spend two hours cutting your nails and shaving your, uh, facial hair for you, and now you…crown…pfffffthahahahahahaha!!!"

Haru lost the fight keep a straight face and burst into loud, irritating laughter again. He barely restrained the urge to shake her violently to get her to shut the hell up. "Now you look just like some fairytale princess!!!"

He did lose his cool, then. "Who the fuck looks like a fucking fairytale princess?!" Belphegor snapped at the idiot woman, gravely offended. Then, he finally noticed the shimmer of long golden curls that seemed to occupy a great expanse of the bed and everywhere around Haru. The silky, shimmering strands of rich, burnished gold all led back to him, and Belphegor was horrified.

What. The?!

He got off the idiotic woman quickly, and for the next two minutes or so, his loud and long string of curses, spoken in fluent Italian, provided a nice counterpoint in the room to Haru's unceasing giggles. It took him that long to gather up all that hair, and holding it together in one hand, he groped for the scissors blindly with the other and once he located it, was about to lift it up to his nape to shear off that embarrassing mass of hair when Haru finally said something coherent.

"Hey, wait! Are you sure you want to do that?" she asked, hiccupping a bit as her amusement with the situation died down some. He turned his head slightly to give her a venomous glare. She didn't see it, of course, but he was so good at conveying his mood without the need of eye contact that she had a very good guess of his feelings. She shrugged it off easily, by now somewhat used to his high strung hostility.

"You are going to look like a mullet head if you cut it that way, you know," she remarked innocently as she sat up and crawled over to the edge of the bed.

He ceased all action immediately, and Haru rolled her eyes. Oh, vanity, thy name is Belphegor.

What she didn't expect, however, was for him to turn around, shove the scissors at her, grab her wrist and jerk her bodily towards him. For a slender, wiry looking man like him, he was certainly very strong.

"Fix this now," he commanded sharply."This is all your fault, woman, and I expect you to correct this situation as quickly as possible."

Haru frowned at his uppity tone. "No. You are being rude again. Haru will not do anything for you if you are being mean."

The side of the prince's head ticked.

"Who's being mean?!" he yelled back, getting pissed. The woman was proving to be extraordinarily talented in prodding his temper. "You locked me within a narrow walkway that was completely encased in metal, fire proofed, bullet proofed, and equipped with enough military grade weapons to start a small war. Speaking of which…I definitely owe you some payback for this, hm?"

Haru swallowed nervously at his ominous tone.

"You can't hurt me," she blurted out bravely. "I'm part of Vongola too, and now under the protection of you…Varia?"

She was leaning backwards as her mutter got softer and softer, tapering to an uncertain whisper at the end as he blatantly encroached upon her personal space. He was also doing that creepy smile of his again, and Haru quickly realized how strange her situation was. They were in his room, on his bed, and the brunette felt her eyes widen with alarm at the way he was all but invading her personal bubble.

She stiffened when those long, narrow fingers still clamped around her wrist loosened slightly and almost tenderly caressed the soft under flesh of her forearm. "You are a woman. I don't need to hurt you physically to destroy you, do I?" His tone was silky and cool now that he had calmed down and was thinking deviously again, and he was also starting to look at her as if he had just realized her vulnerable femininity. Haru was startled and somewhat flustered by the way he was crowding her, but she was also growing equally irritated that he was implying that he would go so far as to do such things to a woman.

He got nearer, their faces now inches apart. "What's this? Your skin is so soft and smooth. Perhaps I should sample what you have got to offer—"

"You can't," she announced firmly before he could say even more outrageous things.

"You think you can stop me?" he asked dangerously. To his surprise, she actually nodded.

"I know I can," she boasted confidently. And before he could call her bluff, she smiled triumphantly at him. "I anticipated that you were going to be somewhat disagreeable over this unfortunate incident, and therefore, I have prepared blackmail!!"

He was not expecting her answer, or her irritatingly smug appearance. It made him want to do something to wipe that look off her face.

"Blackmail," he repeated flatly, suspiciously. "What blackmail?"

"Oh, it's nothing much," she replied cheerily. "Just some photographic evidence that you are actually capable of facial hair growth."

He stilled abruptly. Her meaning was unmistakable. "_You didn't_."

She nodded confidently, the minx. "I did. I even archived them in the Vongola servers for safekeeping. Those are super important, never-before-seen images belonging to the Vongola Famiglia, after all. They definitely deserved their own place in the records!" She was smiling happily by the end of her reasoning, clapping her hands together and looking rather pleased with herself.

Belphegor was simply speechless. "Images?" he echoed blankly. Just how many did she take?!

She gave him an odd look. "Are you really sure you are okay, Belphegor? You are certainly slower on the uptake than usual." There was nothing malicious about her questions; at least, if she was being sarcastic, he hadn't detected it, though she certainly sounded a bit more saccharine than usual. He suddenly developed an intense urge to strangle the infuriating woman.

"…I'm going to happily stab you to my heart's content after you are done fixing my hair," he spoke all too calmly at last, but to his immense aggravation, she shook her head at him again.

"I think I may have forgotten to mention this, but I'm kinda needed at the servers' side still," she reminded him innocently, though the saucy light of amusement in her eyes was pretty evident to him, much to his immense irritation. Why on earth was this woman not scared of him at all?

Oh right, it might have something to do with how he looked like a friggin' girl at the moment, which was all her damn fault, of course.

"I'm sure they will have no problem replacing you," he snarled back.

Haru merely nodded understandingly, unaffected by his temper. She was slowly beginning to figure this man out, and after a fortnight or so of interaction with him, was beginning to develop her own method of handling him. "Well, that may be true, but you know, I did a bit of tweaking with the servers and without my careful supervision, certain 'sensitive' information may be accidentally leaked out to the Varia's computer networks, and maybe even to the entire Vongola Famiglia as well."

He was definitely stiff as a board by now, and Haru reckoned that if looks could kill, she would probably be dead as a doornail.

Then, surprisingly enough, he relaxed.

"You sneaky bitch," he breathed out at last, and despite his demeaning address of her, it didn't carry as much animosity as his usual tone. In fact, it sounded dangerously as if he was…acknowledging her, and Haru stared at him in surprise. For the life of her, she didn't understand why that made her feel as if she had accomplished something very important.

"Hey! Don't call Haru that!" she protested weakly.

A bit flustered, the brunette quickly busied herself purposefully, crawling behind the prince to fix his hair. He started to tense up again, not used to being touched like this, but she ignored him. She started to run her fingers through those long, golden, silky strands as gently as she could, trying her best to get rid of the knots and tangles. "Pass me the comb on the table," she demanded at last. "I can't do anything for your hair if it's all messed up like this."

He handed her the comb irritably, and for the next half an hour or so, there was only silence in the room as Haru carefully worked out the gnarls, surprisingly gentle fingers running soothingly against his scalp until his long hair could flow through the fine teeth of the comb like moon spun silk. His hair was really soft and pretty, Haru thought enviously, easily nicer than hers. She wisely kept her musings to herself though; Belphegor was surprisingly touchy when it came to his appearance, which was quite funny if she thought about it.

Thankfully enough, he was no longer tense by the time she was done with her gentle ministrations and was ready to start cutting his hair. Instead, he was quietly relaxed for once, and not being his usual irritating, snarky self. Despite her initial misgivings, Haru felt a small trickle of fondness start to grow for this decidedly strange man.

Belphegor wasn't quite that bad, at least when he wasn't being all bloodthirsty and aggressive. Haru hid a small smile.

Maybe she shouldn't tell him that she had also taken pictures of him in 'princess mode' for now.

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, this one-shot occurs right after the events of the previous installment, give or take half a day. Haru can be quite vindictive when angered, and I think Belphegor realized that a bit too late. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that he would be stepping lightly around her in the future. On the contrary, I think the man will probably do his best to annoy the cookie out of her, haha.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I'm sure most of you remember that hilarious chapter/episode where Lussuria healed Levi and his subordinates with his Coo-chan's Pavone Del Sereno and they became all hairy and scruffy-looking and hobo-like. Well, this installment can be credited to Akira-san's genius. I had a passing thought of what Belphegor would look like if subjected to the peacock's unique healing abilities, and well, this one-shot practically wrote itself after that.

…Though undoubtedly, I think Belphegor would rather bleed to death than suffer such an indignity ever again, if it were up to him.

Haru would vouch that Bel makes a very pretty princess, though!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

And Mink makes a special appearance! I really like Mink, and I wonder what his temperament is like with respect to his owner. I think he will get along famously with Haru though, if she continues to pamper him just the way he likes it!

And yes, that means you will be seeing more of Mink in future chapters!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! The KHR fandom is surprisingly small for such an awesome series, and the BelHaru fandom all but unheard of, so I'm really thrilled to find a handful of readers interested in this ship!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by: **MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 3077

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/12/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Four

* * *

"You aren't afraid of me at all, are you?"

Belphegor asked out of the blue one day.

Haru slowed down a little on her typing before coming to a complete stop, and she turned to look at the crowned blonde. He was leaning casually against the edge of a table a few feet away from her, those thin, dexterous fingers of his toying with his blades with idle grace, and as usual, his fringe covered the upper portion of his face in a way that perfectly hid his thoughts from her.

Belatedly, Haru realized that he could never seem to sit still at all—he was always doing something or another, fidgeting and occupying his hands and attention in a way that implied he might have been born with some sort of attention deficit disorder, and it certainly explained why he took such pleasure in causing bloodshed and just about any sort of mayhem that he could get away with.

In her distracted musing, she had taken a tad too long to answer his simple question, and the disgraced prince pushed away from the table and approached her in his usual languid saunter, coming to a stop right before her and forcing her to tilt her head up in order to keep him in view.

Haru squared her shoulders and gave him a firm stare. "No, I'm not afraid of you," she confirmed quite calmly and matter-of-factly, with no hint of boasting or false bravado whatsoever in her tone. She really wasn't afraid of him, much to her own surprise, and the brunette wondered just when that had happened.

It might have something to do with how she had managed to best him with that 'Princess Belphegor' incident not more than a week ago, though Haru was not delusional enough to think that he would easily fall for another trick of her making anytime soon. The man had underestimated her and paid the price for it, and she doubted that he would ever make that same mistake again, especially not after the humiliating defeat she had happily fed him.

Belphegor smiled at her frank reply, though there was nothing friendly or gentle in his aristocratic, angular features.

"You should be afraid, you know," he told her almost conversationally, and his creepy grin contrasted sharply with his affable tone. "I'm not a nice person."

He might as well have been telling her that the sky was blue and that the grass was green. She blinked at him owlishly, wondering what thoughts were swirling inside that strange brain of his this time around. At last, she shrugged mentally and decided that it was best not to know. She returned her attention to the computer screen, running her gaze down the long, complicated lines of computer source codes that she had been working on since that morning and double checking her algorithm before systematically moving on to the next section.

"I know. You are also exceedingly mean and sadistic and childish," she quipped absently as she started to type again, her fingers flying across the keyboard as if she was born to do this—and perhaps she was.

There was no reaction from the man hovering over her for a few minutes, but Haru was strangely unconcerned. Then, he chuckled softly.

"True," Belphegor admitted graciously. "You don't want to attract the attention of someone like me, little sparrow."

Haru frowned vaguely at his nickname for her. He had called her that the very day they met and she really didn't see any connection between herself and the small domestic bird.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked, still not tearing her gaze from the screen. "And I'm most definitely not trying to attract any sort of attention whatsoever," Haru declared in response to his simple statement.

He cocked his head slightly to regard her silently, looking every bit like a curious cat.

"You are such a dull, boring little thing, and a creature of habit at that," he mused in reply to her first question, his tone laced with lazy amusement. "Small, brown, and so damn chirpy. Just like those irritating little sparrows that are all over the place." He flashed her a bloodthirsty grin. "Good for target practice, though."

Haru turned to give him a good scowl. She did not appreciate his morbid little analogy at all.

"You are horrible," she growled, growing irate as she thought about the number of hapless, innocent birds that he had killed just for the sheer hell of it. "They did nothing to you!"

She was getting all riled up over a bunch of stupid birds and he watched her with growing interest. There was something quite captivating about her whenever she became all passionate and angry; unfortunately, he just couldn't put his finger on exactly what caused her transformation from merely pretty to downright beautiful. It might have something to do with the fire in her eyes or the stubborn, challenging tilt of her head as she argued hotly, earnestly back, and he was certainly quite entertained by her lack of fear towards him.

"Oh, but they did do something to me," he told her convincingly. "They attracted my attention, just like you did," he added meaningfully, in case she had forgotten what they were originally talking about.

Haru started to open her mouth, no doubt quite prepared to give him a piece of her mind, when he reached over casually and ran those long, thin digits of his through her hair. She paused in surprise, and quickly stiffened when it finally registered to her that he was alarmingly near, but that did not stop him from resting his other hand against the nape of her neck. His cold fingers curled slightly against her sensitive neck, not hurting her, but enough that she could feel the light imprint of well-manicured nails against her skin.

"Belphegor…" she asked warily, all the bravado fleeing right out of her in the face of his…touchy demeanor. This was most certainly _not_ the norm for their interaction with each other, and Haru was disconcerted by his unexpected action. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he retorted silkily from behind her, and she didn't have to turn to look at his face to guess correctly that he was smirking—again.

"Something you are not supposed to do, that's what!" she snapped in reply, not appreciating the overly familiar way he was touching her.

He ignored her stiffened, bristling form, and when she tried to flinch away from him, he merely dug his fingers warningly into the side of her neck. She froze, not in fear though, but rather, quite irritably and with a fair dose of wariness, resigned to the fact that she would not be going anywhere until he was bored with whatever had caught his interest.

He fingered a lock of her rich, chestnut hair between a forefinger and thumb and laughed softly.

"You, my little sparrow, are now sitting in the palm of my hand. What should I do with you, I wonder?"

"You should let me go before I club you over the head with this paperweight," Haru threatened, trying her best not to show how frazzled she was and not quite succeeding.

Belphegor grinned. "Try," he challenged her cockily and she scowled. He was still playing with her hair, relishing in the unease that he was causing her in a uniquely demented fashion that she was beginning to associate with him.

But Haru was not one for empty promises. She grabbed the heavy paperweight on her desk and tried clumsily to whack the blonde behind her only to be disarmed in two seconds flat. Belphegor tossed the expensive, decorative ornament over his shoulder and Haru heard it hit the floor and break into pieces.

"What was that for?" she protested, outraged by his flippant behavior. "That was a perfectly functional paperweight you just destroyed!"

He smirked.

"You attacked me. I reacted accordingly."

"You told me to!!!"

"I did no such thing," he countered, tugging on her hair a tad sharply as he corrected her archly. She growled at him. "I merely encouraged you to try. I provided no guarantees for what would happen after."

Haru didn't even know why they were having this ridiculous conversation.

"Quit antagonizing me and let me work in peace! I'm not here for your entertainment!"

"That," he drawled, "remains to be seen."

Haru really wanted to smack him but could only fume silently, still pressed into her seat by the blonde lunatic behind her. For someone who was incredibly slender and wiry, he was certainly quite strong.

At last, she gave an irritated sigh and quit trying to move away from him—it wasn't as if her evasive actions were working, anyhow.

"Belphegor, unlike you, I actually have things to do," she muttered, exasperated. "Can you not disturb me?"

He thought about it for a brief moment, just to further aggravate her.

"No," he replied at last, sounding blatantly amused. "However, I may consider it if you offer me an interesting proposition."

It was all Haru could do to keep from bursting into a fine fit of temper. She had been riding on a brilliant stroke of inspiration from this morning and was fully focused on the program that she had been working on the past week. All she wanted to do was to be left alone to thrash out the fine details of the computer algorithm while her brain was still being agreeable, but of course Belphegor just had to wander over and disturb her. God, she swore that he was probably Murphy's favorite minion, sent to torment her and make her life in Italy an absolute hell.

"I'm not supposed to have to proposition you in order to do my work, Belphegor!" she snapped, tensing all over again. He was still holding onto the back of her neck as if she was a kitten and Haru was not appreciating his treating her like some mischievous pet. His thumb was rubbing slow, absent circles against the side of her throat, and his other hand stilled amongst her hair.

He leaned slowly over her, effectively trapping her between his own body and the desk. She tensed when she felt his breath brushing gently against the shell of her ear, as he shifted and released his hold on her nape, instead casually hooking his arm around her shoulder.

"You know," he started conversationally. "In this position, I can think of at least ten ways to end your life."

There was no longer any hint of sardonic humor in his perfectly serious tone, and as Haru felt her breath still momentarily in alarm, he chuckled softly and continued. "That is how bored I am feeling right now, woman. Do you really want to know the measures that I will go to in order to assuage my boredom?"

"Are you threatening me?" Haru retorted at last, bristling.

"What do you think?" He sounded lighthearted and almost playful still, but she was learning to be cautious when it came to reading his moods and intentions. He was like a court jester…or a Cheshire cat, and beneath his seemingly carefree, playful demeanor hid a very malicious and bloodthirsty side that Haru wasn't quite sure was completely under control.

"You can't hurt me," she told him as calmly as she could manage it. "I'm under your protection."

"True," he conceded with a charming grin, and Haru tried to ignore the way his cold fingers were leaving trails of goosebumps across her skin."But unfortunately, accidents do happen, don't they?"

To her credit, she wasn't blanching in abject fear of him, though she was certainly being wary.

"What do you want?" she asked at last.

He seemed amused by her question.

"I want a lot of things. What are you willing to give me?"

He sounded dangerous, like he was provoking her on purpose, and Haru could not help but feel her temper flare.

"Nothing. You are not getting anything from me without a fight," she declared, agitated, and much to her surprise, he seemed inordinately pleased by her reply.

He smiled evilly at her.

"Then I will take you by force. It will be fun," he stated almost as an afterthought, and before she could open her mouth to ask what drug he was high on, he tightened his hold on her hair and tipped her head towards him.

She squawked with indignation. "Hey!!" she yelled, instinctively moving towards him to ease the sting on her scalp. "You can't hurt me!"

"I don't have to hurt you in order to get what I want. There are other ways, hmm?" he leered at her. "Are you scared of me now?"

His cocky challenge made her hackles stand.

"Never!" she declared hotly even though they both knew that she was currently in a bit of a predicament, though her pride simply refused to accept any other answer.

He _grinned_.

"Very well."

There was no warning except for his fingers twisting minutely amongst her hair, and he forced her to lean towards him even as he rapidly closed the distance between them. Haru's eyes widened. She tried futilely to pull back, but he smiled widely and merely tightened his hold on her.

"No, you can't-"

He could, and he did.

He kissed her.

There was no time for her to react, and she squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips stubbornly together the moment she felt his mouth on hers.

He was undaunted, and moved his hand to cup the back of her head, locking her in place against him. She had nowhere to retreat, and was momentarily stunned by his daring. He crowded her against the back of her chair, and his mouth was hot and insistent against hers, not coaxing, but rather, _forcing_ her to accommodate him.

When she didn't comply, he moved his hand from her shoulder to her waist, purposely digging those thin fingers of his into her sensitive side, forcing a sharp gasp from her.

He took advantage of her momentary lapse in composure, and tugged at her hair until her head was sufficiently tilted to his satisfaction, slipping his tongue into her mouth and taking complete possession of what was not his to take. Her eyes flew open, and a muffled yowl of protest escaped her as she tried to hit him to get him to back off, but he easily preempted her reaction and stopped her by holding her hands captive in one of his.

Furious, Haru wasted no time biting his invasive tongue, only to squeal with pain when he bit her right back. The sharp, metallic tang of blood, both his and hers, flooded her mouth, and unfortunately for her, that only seemed to drive him even crazier. She could feel his deranged smile spreading against her lips, his heady excitement as he continued to roughly plunder her mouth, and started to feel a bit of panic.

She quit fighting the physically stronger, dominating male immediately, instinctively going slack against him, a small whimper of distress escaping her throat, tears of futile frustration gathering at her eyes as she glared angrily at the horrid bastard, but he didn't even care.

He did gentle—slightly—when it finally occurred to his frenzied senses that she was no longer resisting. Much to her bewildered surprise, he started to turn his attention to the small wound that he had inflicted on her lower lip, meticulously laving the shallow cut until she was no longer bleeding, sucking and licking to his content as she sat unresistingly against him.

She could not tell what he was thinking, as usual, but she quieted and her worried mood calmed slowly when it became evident that he was no longer trying to inflict pain on her.

At last, he pulled away, stopping when their faces were still mere inches away from each other, licking his lips slowly as he stared at her angry features—she looked amazingly alluring when furious, not that he would ever tell her—with a growing smirk on his face.

It seemed that he had just found a new, interesting plaything, and she had been right under his nose the entire time.

"You stopped responding halfway. Why?" he asked in a velvety tone, his thumb rubbing slow, lazy circles against the underside of her wrist. She snatched her hands out of his loosened grip immediately, and if looks could kill, they would be measuring him for a coffin right now.

Smack!!

"I wasn't responding at all, you bastard!!" she railed angrily at him, her voice hoarse with fury, the stinging sensation on her palm a pain she was more than willing to bear in return for slapping that smug face of his. "I was trying to get away from you!"

She had packed enough of a wallop that his head was turned to the side by the force of her slap, and for a brief moment, he didn't move.

Just when she was beginning to think that perhaps it wasn't such a great idea to attack the Storm Unit Commander of the infamous Varia Assassination Team, he turned his head back to her and _smiled_.

It was the creepiest smile that she had seen from him so far, and that in itself was saying quite a lot.

Haru felt her righteous fury die a quick death.

"You dare to hit me."

And damn if there wasn't a giddy note of excitement in his wondering tone. Haru gave him a strange, disturbed look.

"You are crazy," she blurted out in abrupt realization, and he didn't even bother to deny it. His smile widened. He leaned in close to her, bringing his face right up to hers, and she was instinctively leaning as far back as she could go without tipping her chair to avoid him, but to no avail.

"Be that as it may, but you were the one who caught my attention first, little sparrow," he drawled silkily. When she stared at him in disbelief, he continued. "You should be feeling lucky."

"Why?" she snapped, clearly not in the mood to play his games any longer. "Because you are a royal pain in the ass?"

He chuckled softly, and this time around, the note of amusement in his voice was genuine. Haru's eyes widened with surprise.

"Well," he purred. "You are still alive, aren't you?"

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what comes out when you are supposed to be studying the laws of thermodynamics and Bernoulli's Equation for laminar flow in fluids, and not secretly writing fanfiction. I banged this chapter out in the span of an hour, give or take a few minutes, so if this installment makes no sense whatsoever to you, it's my fault, not yours, haha.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Nothing much to comment here, other than Belphegor is not really 'in love' with Haru, or anything like that. At least, not yet. He's just taking perverse glee in getting in Haru's face and making life as miserable for her as he can manage it. As you can guess, Haru's not exactly thrilled with him either. Well, that will change in the future (I hope), so wait around and see!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, this chapter is a direct sequel to the one-shot before it; I will be writing related follow-ups and won't be skipping back and forth anytime soon, so relax and enjoy it while you still can!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4652

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/10/09

**

* * *

Chapter Five

* * *

**

"Haru-chan you have been working relentlessly with the servers ever since you came to the castle. Why don't you take a break, have yourself a bit of R&R this weekend?" Lussuria suggested airily during dinner one night, surrounded by half of the Varia executives as usual, sans their reclusive leader, Levi, and Fran, the latter of whom were both out on missions and were therefore absent.

Haru lifted her attention from her plate to Lussuria, and shook her head quickly.

"It's alright; I don't mind mucking around in the dungeon vaults. It's what I'm here for, after all," she reassured the colorful male with a genuine note of affection and gratitude for his concern.

Lussuria was surprisingly kind to the select few he liked, and the cheerful man had taken an instant shine to Haru over the past weeks of their mutual acquaintance, taking her under his wing like a mama bird with a little lost chick. The older man's friendly and affable demeanor was fully reciprocated by a grateful Haru as well; Lussuria was never purposely intimidating and had an easygoing way about him that made Haru feel a little less wary and alone in this large, utterly foreign country. The open approval of the Sun Unit's Commander also served as an additional layer of protection around Haru for those who wished to cause trouble for her, and not surprisingly, there were near to none within the Varia who dared to try anything with her.

None, but a certain golden-haired prince, that was.

As if on cue, a silky voice rang out languidly beside her. "Don't bother about her, Lussuria. Can't you see that she gets off by fingering those computers when nobody can see her?"

To Haru's credit, she hardly flinched or reacted to Belphegor's vulgar implication. She also completely ignored the way he leered at her with that cat-like, Cheshire grin on his face, even when she had such an overwhelming urge to smash her decadent chocolate mousse into those smug, aristocratic features of his. But that would be a complete waste of a perfectly delicious dessert and she was not about to waste a single spoon of it on him, of all people.

The past few weeks' of experience had taught her that it was not a good idea to react to his taunting; it only goaded him to become even more of an ass than he already was. The Prince was the only member of the Varia who made it his life's mission to antagonize her as much as possible, much to Haru's disgruntlement, and she just knew that it was his way of getting back at her for that little 'blackmail' incident less than a week ago.

Granted, he was no longer as openly hostile towards her like at the beginning, but he was very diligently making up for his lack of aggression by being as morally offensive to her 'delicate, feminine sensibilities' as only he could pull off. He seemed to have finally realized that she held no fear of him or his crazy antics whatsoever, and therefore, had found another way to agitate her—by blatantly invading her personal space and unsettling her hard won composure.

Well, that horrid 'kiss' he had forced upon her a few days ago had completely leveled the slate of contention between them both, in her opinion. She was still furious with him for that, but of course, the self-centered man didn't much care what she thought of him one way or another, which put a damper on the fine fury that she would churn herself into every time she thought about that incident. She did succeed in ignoring and avoiding him whenever she could get away with it these past few days, and so far, it worked.

Until now, that was.

Haru scowled at Belphegor but otherwise said nothing.

Lussuria watched the pair sitting beside each other with an expression of amusement in his eyes. Bel was acting suspiciously like a little six year old who was doing everything he could to terrorize his first crush in order to gain her attention and Lussuria wasn't even sure if the blonde was aware of what he was doing. The second youngest member of the Varia elites had always been more interested in causing strife and bloodshed than looking at women, but he sure as certain was paying close attention to Haru right now, even if he was going about doing it all wrong, in Lussuria's opinion.

"Nonsense!" the Sun Unit Commander insisted. "We have been terrible hosts to you, Haru-chan! You have been working like a dog practically since the very day you stepped foot in Italy and I bet you haven't even gone beyond the castle grounds for some sightseeing!! Our country is very beautiful, my dear, and it's a waste if you don't go out and take a good, appreciative look at it! Besides, what would the Decimo say if he knows that the Varia are ill-treating you, a precious member of his family?"

Haru didn't have a chance to put in a word edgewise throughout Lussuria's passionate argument, and she was about to reassure the flamboyant man that she was in no way or manner ill-treated by any of them (except Belphegor) when Squalo finally decided to speak. The silver-haired swordsman put down his wineglass and looked sharply at her.

"Take the weekend off, Miura Haru," he evoked her full name like he always did whenever he spoke to her, and Haru was still quite intimidated by the intense man to tell him otherwise. "You are the Japanese representative for the Vongola Famiglia and we will not be responsible for any of your discontent, real or otherwise. You will do as Lussuria suggests, take a tour around Italy and report back to Tsunayoshi that all your needs are being well taken care of here. You do not need to worry about the expenses; the Varia will foot everything. Is that clear?"

Like the blue-blooded aristocrat that he was, Squalo had a remarkable talent for making everything that came out of his mouth sound like a superior command; that was, if he wasn't busy losing his temper and yelling at people. Haru did not know what to say after his edict. She looked at Squalo uncomfortably as he took a swig of red wine from his glass, and before she could think of a way to politely decline his 'generous' offer, he continued.

"Oh, and you will take Bel with you for protection."

Haru stiffened, slightly alarmed.

"I don't think that's necessary," she blurted out quickly. "I'm sure Belphegor has his schedule quite full; other people to torment, baskets of little puppies to kick, butterflies' wings to rip off..." she trailed off, quite disturbed by that creepy grin on the blonde's face. Just because she was used to his strange ways did not mean that she was any less disconcerted whenever he was pulling his maniacal act. Even Hibari had toned down on his violent tendencies over the years, or at least, he had learned to hide them better. Haru wondered if Belphegor had always been like this or if he was even worse in the past. She quickly decided that she really didn't want to know.

"Don't worry about me, little sparrow," the prince in question purred with amusement, though his endearment for her was anything but…_endearing_. If anything, he sounded quite menacing and it was all Haru could do not to frown with dismay. "It will be a _pleasure_ to be in your charming company this weekend."

That sounded suspiciously like a threat to Haru, and she stiffened slightly. She quickly started to edge away as well, but the male beside her didn't seem to notice and proceeded to rest his arm all too casually against the back of her chair.

"Then it's settled!" Lussuria announced as he beamed at a trapped-looking Haru. "I will see to it personally that arrangements are made for you two to leave the castle by tomorrow morning. Make sure to look after Haru-chan well, Bel!"

The prince smirked at the now completely uneasy-looking woman. He was plotting something in that devious head of his; she just knew it.

"Don't worry, Lussuria. I will take _excellent_ care of her."

Haru blanched.

* * *

By the time the next morning rolled around, the brunette had worked out a tentative plan to avoid interaction with her Guardian.

Belphegor was not a morning person and kept to himself during breakfast, much to Haru's relief, and Lussuria was only too happy to fill in the silence. The mothering Sun Unit Commander busied himself by cheerfully informing Haru of the highlights of the trip's itinerary, as well as all the special sights and pit stops that he insisted she must make in order to get the full experience of Italy.

Haru only managed to catch less than a handful of what the flamboyant man was prattling on about, much to her apologetic chagrin, and unfortunately enough, she was quickly ushered out to the castle foyer and into the waiting limousine right after breakfast.

"Enjoy yourself, Haru-chan!" Lussuria called out from outside the vehicle, waving exuberantly from behind Belphegor's back as the latter entered the car after her. "Don't forget to take lots of-"

The golden-haired prince slammed the door shut behind him with little patience, and Haru could only guess that Lussuria would be expecting photographs depicting her weekend trip.

"So fucking noisy," Belphegor hissed irritably as he occupied the seats right across from her, and it was rather obvious to Haru that the man was being his usual charming self this morning.

Note the sarcasm.

Fortunately, the martial arts master of the Varia was well used to his fellow member's short temper and wasn't even fazed by Bel's rudeness. The colorful male proceeded to smile and wave even harder outside, and Haru could only manage a weak smile and return a halfhearted gesture of farewell. Exuding excitement was a bit difficult for her to do at the moment, especially when she was about to be trapped in a small, enclosed space with one Belphegor for the next few hours or so.

Thankfully enough, the blonde in question still seemed out of it at the moment, and promptly passed out on his end of the car the moment it left the Varia property. Haru was left in blissful peace and quiet as the homicidal prince slept soundly from across her. His tousled, golden head was tilted slightly back against the leather headrest, long fringe hiding half of his face as usual, his breathing deep and even. His lean, wiry form was semi-sprawled on the luxurious seats in an arrogant and careless manner that reminded her of a lazy jungle cat who knew that it was on the top of the food chain, and Haru had no doubt whatsoever that he could turn just as deadly in an instant.

Dangerous _and_ crazy—and she would be in his company for the entire weekend, like it or not.

Not surprisingly, Haru was quite thankful for this little reprieve from the abrasiveness that was Belphegor's 'charm,' and put slightly more at ease, she proceeded to spend a bit of time paying close attention to the surroundings outside the vehicle, quietly marveling at the rich, rolling hills of Italy's countryside as well as the occasional vineyards that only served to complement the idyllic, beautiful landscape of this scenic country.

Despite her initial reservations, Haru was beginning to feel a trickle of growing excitement and interest for this little road trip ahead of her. Admittedly, she had been busy working in the dungeons and hadn't placed much significance in exploring the foreign country she was now temporarily living in, but now that Lussuria had brought her attention to what she was missing, Haru quickly found her curiosity piqued. It would be a great experience to visit new places, especially within a country as rich and colorful in history as Italy, the motherland of the Vongola Famiglia.

…Granted, she could have done without her guardian/guide, but she supposed that as long as Belphegor kept to himself, this weekend might actually prove to be fruitful and relaxing for her.

Of course, less than an hour later, Belphegor woke up and quickly destroyed Haru's wishful thinking.

She was fiddling with the laptop that she had brought along with her when he silently came to and re-oriented himself to his surroundings, diligently getting some extra work done since it would be awhile more before they reached Florence. He was cranky and suffering from a sore neck from his awkward sleeping position, and it didn't help his slight headache any that he was sitting facing the backwards direction of the vehicle's path of travel.

It didn't take him long to attempt to make Haru equally miserable as well.

The brunette lifted her head and gave him a frown when he prodded her leg with the toe of his boot.

"What do you want? I'm working. Go back to sleep," she muttered. He ignored her and sat up straighter, stretching languidly in the process before shaking out the unruly mess that was his sleep tousled hair, looking for all the world like a ruffled cat.

"Hey," he demanded with little preamble. "Switch places with me."

Haru stared at him irritably, not liking the way he was ordering her around. Again.

"No," she denied him immediately. "Just stay where you are and don't bother-"

Haru really didn't get the chance to finish what she wanted to say; her laptop was abruptly snatched from her and tossed onto the seats opposite of her, even as Belphegor smoothly vacated his side of the limousine to sit beside her. She inched away from him instinctively even as she prepared to yell at him—she hadn't saved her work yet!!

"Belphegor, you-"

Haru squawked before she could work up a fine lather over the idiot man's latest transgression against her, for the golden haired prince had scooted further down a bit and proceeded to lie down lengthwise on the plush leather seats that _she currently occupied a corner of_.

"Hey!!"

His blonde head rested perfectly on her lap in place of her poor computer that had been so callously ejected, and Haru stiffened with outrage. The fuming woman resisted the urge to do something drastic like just grab hold of Belphegor's ears and _pull _until they came off.

"You seem to think that you have a choice when it comes to giving me what I want, woman," Belphegor remarked casually, clearly ignoring the way Haru was all but trembling with anger.

"I'm not required to cater to your needs!" she shot back. Then, she growled. "Get off me and let me go to the other side of the car!"

He smirked and shook his head, settling down in preparation for a nap. She glared down at him with disbelief.

"You had your chance earlier, and you refused," he reminded her. "I'm not moving now, and don't bother trying to wake me up. You won't like the consequences."

His threat was given in a charmingly genial tone as usual, but Haru was not fooled. She scowled, quite tempted to inflict any sort of violence at that smug face of his but knew better than to actually do so. The Varia's Prince was no gentleman, and she had no doubt whatsoever that he would retaliate twofold should she attempt to attack him. That horrible kiss he had forced on her had been an excellent example of the extremes that Belphegor was willing to go to in order to get his way, not to mention Gokudera's recount of the Vongola Tournament ten years ago—the Storm Unit Commander had been perfectly willing to sacrifice himself together with his silver-haired Storm counterpart so as to win the match.

Granted, it was unlikely that anyone would be dying on this trip, perhaps only maimed and/or temporarily disabled, but Haru decided not to risk it all the same. It was only less than two hours since they left the Varia Castle; Haru wouldn't know what to tell Lussuria if they had to return not even half a day into this trip that the cheerful man had so painstakingly planned for her.

Which meant that she had to be the one to relent and give way to the childish, immature person that was her travel companion.

Haru gritted her teeth and forced herself to relax. She inhaled deeply before exhaling again, and she repeated the cycle five more times before she spoke once more.

"Belphegor," she sounded surprisingly calm. "If you let me move, I will gladly give up the entire row of seats to you. You can sleep in comfort then."

She was being perfectly rational and patient, but unfortunately, the only reply she got was a sleepy, irritable grunt. She stared down at Belphegor suspiciously—he couldn't be asleep so quickly, could he?

Haru quickly tried another way to gain a reaction from the blonde. She shifted slightly, hoping to nudge him awake without having to touch him but to no avail. Even worse, it only prompted the clearly sleeping man to roll to his side, throw an arm around her waist to anchor her to him, and press his face into her stomach.

The mortified brunette could only freeze in her seat, well aware that she had only made things worse for herself. It was impossible to extract herself from Belphegor now, not without waking him and incurring his sleep-deprived wrath. For an assassin of his caliber, he sure slept like the dead. Haru wasn't quite sure if he would remain that way though, and decided reluctantly not to push her luck any further.

Haru willed herself to relax, though her hands were still hovering uselessly above the blonde who was currently using her as a pillow _and_ a teddy bear, of all things, and being so completely, _irritatingly_, casual about it too. At last, she gingerly rested her hands at her sides and tried her best to ignore the fact that she had one of Varia's top assassins lying on her lap. It only worked to a certain extent, for her curiosity eventually got the better of her and before long, she was sneaking reluctant glances at the man lying in repose so near her.

It was the first time she had ever seen Belphegor so quiet and still, so she couldn't quite resist staring at his profile. He was surprisingly good-looking, she realized with some amount of astonishment; an angular face, the thin, sharp nose of European Royalty, full lips, pronounced cheekbones. His eyes were obscured by his long, shaggy hair, and even though Haru wondered how he looked behind all that hair, she wasn't quite brave enough to try to find out. She still liked her fingers where they were, thank you very much.

His hair was something else altogether, though. When the bright morning sun filtered through the tinted windows and shone upon those rich, burnished gold strands, Belphegor almost looked like the fairytale prince he was supposed to be.

Haru rethought her stray musings, and snickered inwardly. Fairytale prince. Right. He was more likely to draw on Sleeping Beauty's face and skewer each of Snow White's little dwarves than go gallantly to their rescues.

Amused, Haru lifted her hand and fingered Bel's hair absently, only to freeze with alarm the next second when she realized what she was doing. Her eyes flew down in belated dread, but when the man slept on, clearly unaware, she heaved a silent sigh of relief.

She hesitated slightly, then became a bit bolder, carefully running her fingers through his hair. Like she remembered from the time she had to cut his hair for him, the bright golden strands felt so silky and smooth under her hand. It was quite therapeutic, almost like stroking the fur of a golden retriever puppy—a homicidal, blade-wielding puppy that had a smile like a demented jester, that is.

The brunette fought the urge to smile at that ridiculous mental image of Bel-puppy, and for the next hour or so of the quiet car ride, relaxed and amused herself with her thoughts even as she idly messed around with Belphegor's hair.

He wasn't half bad like this, Haru decided quite cheerfully, feeling a lot less frustrated now that she wasn't constantly butting heads with the aforementioned blonde. Now if only he would remain that way for the rest of the car ride…

That was highly unlikely, and Belphegor did wake up eventually. The arm he had flung around her waist tightened slightly as he began to rouse, and Haru quickly removed her hand from his hair the moment she felt him stirring.

"Put it back," he muttered against her belly, his normally silky voice sleepy and husky. She stared down at him.

"Put what back?" she asked.

He answered her question by snatching hold of her hand with his free one and placing it back on his crowned head. "Keep doing what you did earlier," he ordered her unashamedly even as he lazily stretched out his lanky frame before going all limp again and taking up all the space on her lap as well as on the rest of the seats. She decided that he was even worse than that fat ginger cat that belonged to Giannini back at the secret base in Japan. Zenzero-kun was always climbing onto her lap whenever she went to visit, purring with lazy happiness and all but rolling onto his back so that she could rub that tubby little tummy of his.

Of course, Belphegor did not expect her to rub his belly, not like she would. Out of sheer principle alone, Haru frowned at the man in question. Even though she actually did find it quite relaxing to do exactly what he wanted her to do, the way he was bossing her about like she was his servant irritated her something fierce.

"You can always ask nicely, you know," she retorted, even as she absently began to rub her fingers against his scalp.

He smirked half heartedly, obviously not fully awake yet.

"Che. I don't need to do that. You are doing what I want, aren't you."

Haru resisted the urge to do something childish like pull his hair. _Peaceful coexistence, peaceful coexistence_, she repeated the mantra in her head like it was a matter of life and death. Eventually, her temper simmered down somewhat, mostly thanks to the fact that Belphegor had wisely kept his mouth shut after that last arrogant, wiseass remark of his.

What a strange relationship they shared, Haru mused with exasperation. One moment they would be at each others' throats and the next they were almost…amicable with each other, like mutual acquaintances, perhaps even closer. She didn't exactly understand the dynamics of her coexistence with Belphegor, only that she had certainly never experienced the same like/hate relationship with anyone else before. Even that annoying Gokudera didn't come close, and a bewildered Haru wondered just what was going on.

She was being unusually tolerant when it came to the blonde's ridiculous and often over-the-top antics, and she didn't even know why. For god's sake, he had stolen a kiss from her and the only thing she did about it was give him a good smack in return. Of course, that only made him more interested in her, which resulted in the position that she was in now—his head on her lap while she gave him a scalp massage, of all things.

Had any random person chanced upon the scene that they were in right now, he or she would have surely thought that both her and Belphegor were in an intimate relationship or something.

The brunette stiffened in alarm at the notion, and hurriedly took her hands off the golden-haired prince, much to his grunt of displeasure. She prodded him on the shoulder insistently.

"That's all," she announced a tad sharply in the aftershock of her revelation. "Get up; I can't feel my legs anymore."

He must have detected the slight panic in her voice, for wonders of wonders; he actually heeded her for once and shifted slightly away from her. Haru scooted off the seat and onto the ones opposite the very moment he gave her the opportunity to do so, and quickly grabbed her laptop and plopped it back on her lap.

Across from her, Belphegor was half-reclined on the seats still, and he cocked his head slightly to the side as he watched her fidget distractedly with her computer.

"Didn't you just say that you can't feel your legs?" he asked idly.

She froze momentarily, and then lifted her eyes to look at him with some amount of reluctance. For some reason, staring at him at that moment made her flush most uncomfortably. She looked away in a hurry.

"They will get better soon," she muttered.

He could tell that she was lying through her teeth, though she did look quite bothered by something.

He straightened slightly.

"Oh, really?" he enquired, his voice becoming dangerously silky. Small alarm bells started to ring in her head, and she looked at him warily. "You don't look like you are suffering from leg cramps."

His relatively innocent comment was anything but. Haru shot him an irritable look, well aware that he was calling her bluff.

"It seems that I have a remarkably high tolerance for truly annoying things," she muttered, her earlier awkwardness fading away quickly. Her jab at him was not missed, and he gave her a charming, crooked grin.

"Well, well." His tone was sly, amused. "Let's test that remarkable tolerance of yours this weekend, shall we?"

Haru frowned.

"We will most definitely _not_!! Belphegor, need I remind you that this is _my_ R&R trip?! If you mess this up, I'm going to make you very sorry!"

"How?" he asked, leaning forwards slowly, his grin widening. Haru leaned backwards instinctively. "How are you going to make me sorry?"

He sounded quite curious to know how she could manage such a feat, and Haru growled, offended.

"I will find a way," she snapped irritably, before yelping in dismay at the man's close proximity. Belphegor was taking irrational joy in provoking her and she was indirectly encouraging his immature behavior by reacting to it. Lussuria would have laughed at what a strangely adorable couple they made. Haru didn't necessarily agree, unfortunately. "And get away from me! Far away!!"

The blonde _cackled_ in response_, _and Haru gave him a disturbed, annoyed stare.

"No," the prince stated abruptly, and all of a sudden, there was no longer any hint of sly humor in his voice. His attention was concentrated solely on the feisty, pretty brunette sitting just across from him. "I have changed my mind. It is quite entertaining being around you after all, little sparrow."

He sounded perfectly serious, dangerously so, and Haru didn't know what to make of his strange remark.

She scowled again, feeling her pleasant disposition start to go south all over again. Belphegor switched moods faster than a woman PMS-ing, and she wished that he could just pick one and stick with it. "I'm not your plaything!"

Belphegor smiled slowly. "Not yet."

It sounded dangerously like a promise, one which he had every intention of fulfilling. Haru felt a sense of forewarning, an instinctive call for self-preservation, but one which she carelessly discarded. What could he do to her, after all?

She huffed. "That's never going to happen," she declared hotly, and to discourage this entirely inappropriate conversation, she returned her attention to her laptop and proceeded to pointedly work on her programs. She also ignored Belphegor's chuckles, used to the prince's demented bouts of spontaneous cackling by now.

_That's what you think, woman._

Really, poor Haru had no idea what she was getting into.

_

* * *

::owari::

* * *

_

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Nothing much to comment on this chapter, other than the fact that yes, I really do believe that Belphegor is the sort of strange character who would burst into spontaneous bouts of evil laughter/chuckles if and when he feels like it, thereby creeping out everyone in his immediate surroundings and not giving a damn. He's wonderfully arrogant and confident like that.

And of course, Haru is all sorts of amazing, to be able to put up with the many idiosyncrasies of this man, not that she would know now, haha.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I will most likely be spending the next chapter or two elaborating a bit more on this little road trip to Florence, so for those who want to read more of this little side arc, I will try my best to deliver!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

How's the pace so far? The plot, characterization, etc? Like? Dislike? I haven't been getting much feedback lately, so you can say that I'm quite curious as to what the readers think. Since there isn't much Bel/Haru fanfics around here for me to fall back on and gain a general gist of what I'm supposed (or not supposed) to be doing, well, comments would be nice.

That, and the fact that I'm secretly a review whore, just like every other writers on FF Net, haha. Much thanks in advance!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2421

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/12/09

**

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**

Chapter Six

* * *

Florence was breathtakingly _gorgeous_.

It took Haru all of ten minutes within the beautiful capital of Tuscany for her to fall in love with it, and she especially adored the historical architecture that stood proudly beside its modern counterparts, weathered by time but never beaten. It was early autumn and the atmosphere was simply a delight to be in. The brunette enjoyed the sights and the food and the shopping, and it was so charmingly wonderful that she quickly became more or less used to her blonde shadow, if that was what one could refer to Belphegor as.

The Varia's prince didn't exactly follow her around; no, evidently, his Royal Highness did not 'follow,' he led, and was more often than not strolling ahead of her and leading her to random places with no seeming regard for direction whatsoever. Exasperatedly, Belphegor went anywhere he pleased and Haru was left with the choice to either to follow him or get lost. Not surprisingly, the brunette reluctantly trailed after the blonde like some errant servant, though she eventually got over her irritation in favor of turning her full attention to her beautiful surroundings.

Like most of Tuscany, the pace of living was relaxed and laidback, and it didn't take long for Haru to feel the same way as well. She spent quite a fair amount of time indulging in 'tourist stuff,' snapping pictures here and there, marveling at the many different statues and fountains and various landmarks that made Florence so very unique, and last but not least, went shopping amongst the many small, delightfully quaint shop houses that littered the narrow streets of this historical capital city.

Surprisingly enough, Belphegor did nothing to hurry her along. He would backtrack idly whenever he sensed that she was no longer following him, and would stand just a small ways outside of whatever establishment she happened to wander into. As usual, his eyes would be shadowed by his shaggy blonde hair as he waited, his features unreadable except for that usual careless smile that didn't reveal much about his true state of emotion.

When she had decided on her purchases and was about to make her payment, though, he would step in without fail, shoulder her aside, and, ignoring her protests the entire while, make the payment in her stead, as per instructed by Squalo the night before. Haru really did not appreciate the sly, knowing looks some of the storekeepers would give them; the wealthy, good-looking aristocrat and his pretty, exotic bit of skirt, though most had the good sense to stop and look nervously away when the same charmingly smiling man shifted slightly and brought their attention to the discreet but fierce Varia crest that decorated the sleeve of his jacket.

It seemed that the Varia, and by extension, the Vongola Famiglia, was very well known in this area, and even though Haru was disgruntled by the locals' mistaken assumption of her relationship with Belphegor, she was more surprised by the amount of respect that the Vongola name wrought around here. There were not many in Japan who were aware of the Vongola Famiglia, a fact which Tsuna was actually quite grateful for, though Haru could now see that it was the exactly opposite situation over here in Italy. Unexpectedly so, the Vongola did not seem to share the same level of notoriety as the Japanese Yakuza, in fact, they appeared to be quite well-regarded by the local population.

"Of course," Belphegor replied when she finally brought up the topic. "Florence has always been part of the Varia's territory, and we protect what's ours."

It wasn't a boast that he had given freely, she could tell. The proof was everywhere around her; Florence was bustling with life, her inhabitants safe and relatively unaffected by the recent war with the Millefiore Famiglia. The Varia had done well in defending her territories from the enemy, and it clearly showed.

"You guys really were busy over here when we were fighting the Six Funeral Wreaths back inJapan, weren't you?" she mused almost to herself as she walked beside him. The blonde slanted her a sideways look.

"Did you think that we were sitting on our behinds, twiddling our thumbs?" he sounded quite sarcastic, and she frowned slightly at him.

"That applies to only you, perhaps," she shot back. "I can't imagine Lussuria-san and the rest sitting by and doing nothing when the Vongola Famiglia is in trouble."

He flashed her a toothy grin.

"Be careful what you say, little sparrow, lest you incur my displeasure," he merely warned her with a tint of amusement, and she eyed him warily for a brief moment before dismissing his threat.

"Why? You can't do anything to me," she retorted, growing used to his semi-threats/jokes by now.

He chuckled in response to her naiveté. For a grown woman, she sure was amazingly gullible at times.

"Are you so sure?"

Without warning, he grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her down a narrow alleyway. She barely had time to yelp with surprise and had to clutch her purchases for dear life when he backed her against a wall and proceeded to cage her in with his hands splayed at either side of her head. He loomed over her menacingly and Haru's brown eyes widened with surprise, her heart beating frantically in her chest at the abruptness of his action.

They narrowed just as quickly with agitation when she realized that he was only trying to scare her, and she promptly gave him an offended glare.

"What are you doing?" she hissed softly.

She stiffened quickly when he crowded nearer purposely, all but pressing her against the wall, his face alarmingly close to hers, his breath hot on her face.

"What can I do to you, didn't you ask that earlier? Hmm…I wonder."

He sounded quite mischievous, and she stared at him with some degree of astonishment. Well, somebody was certainly in a good mood today. The Prince slowly shifted closer, so close that his cheek brushed against hers. His mouth was but mere millimeters away from her ear, and she could feel his lithe, wiry frame acutely against her as he inhaled deeply.

"You smell good," he commented casually, albeit in a fainter tone, and she turned her head a tad to the side to look at him with bewildered surprise. Haru stiffened when he leaned down and nuzzled his nose unabashedly against the side of her neck, and when she squirmed with growing discomfort, he slipped his leg between hers to stop her from trying to wriggle away from him.

She froze awkwardly, locked in an embarrassingly intimate position against the golden-haired man.

"Belphegor," she squeaked out in a strangled tone. "This is sexual harassment!!"

"That's unlikely," he retorted silkily, quite enjoying the flustered expression on her face. "Because I haven't even started yet-"

He broke off abruptly when something else caught his attention, and that usual, careless smile that always sat on his face faded away to blankness as he stilled momentarily and extended his senses to his surroundings. His muscles tensed ever so slightly and his mannerism changed in an instant—maliciously playful earlier, he was now behaving akin to a crouching jaguar, ready for a hunt.

Despite her indignation at being placed in such a strange position by him, Haru could not help but take her cues from his sudden alert reaction. She had seen this behavior all too often amongst Tsuna and his Guardians to not understand what it meant—danger was nearby.

Then, almost as swiftly as he had frozen up, Belphegor shook off his momentary trance, and much to Haru's disbelief, _proceeded to continue where he left off_.

Taking full advantage of the fact that she had her hands full with shopping bags, he moved his arm downward and wrapped it around her slender waist, pulling her nearer to him. She was too stumped by his outrageous behavior to fight him, although she flinched and jerked her face to the side when he lowered his head to hers. What the hell was wrong with him?!

"We are being watched. Cooperate," Bel ordered in a murmur, his voice inaudible to anyone but her. She glanced at him uncertainly, not sure of his intention, but his smiling mask was firmly back in place and it was impossible for her to tell if he was being serious or not. She didn't have time to contemplate her circumstances for very long, for he took hold of her chin between his fingers and tilted her face to his, and without preamble, closed the gap between them and kissed her.

Unlike that last time, she did not struggle. The feel of his lips against hers didn't shock her as much this time around, and squeezing her eyes shut with embarrassment, her mind quickly went curiously blank of all thoughts when he pressed his mouth insistently against hers. He wasn't as rough or as sadistically violent as before, but that was most likely due to the fact that she was putting up no resistance this time around.

Wordlessly, he demanded for her to open her mouth for him, and when she obeyed unthinkingly, those long fingers of his resting on her waist stroked her side in reward, and he did not hesitate to slip his tongue into her. She knew better than to try to bite him, and froze against him instead, trying to imitate a block of wood to the best of her abilities. He did not allow her to succeed, unfortunately. His hand moved up to cup the back of her head, nudging her slightly backwards so as to achieve maximum penetration, and when he had arranged her to his liking, his mouth slanted against hers again and again as he started to awaken something quite urgent and fierce within her belly.

Haru thought that she might be sick. Her heart was pounding loudly against her ribcage as if trying to escape her chest, her stomach lurched and her head felt fuzzy and lightheaded. Belphegor's crisp, masculine scent filled her nose each time she inhaled and his body heat surrounded her like a thick blanket. She was having difficulty thinking _and his kisses felt surprisingly good_.

He wasn't being rough or violent with her this time around, and even though he wasn't exactly gentle or delicate, whatever he was doing was certainly most agreeable to her senses.

Carefully, she touched her tongue to his, and when he squeezed her side with approval and proceeded to engage her in a wet and carnal French kiss, Haru became just a bit more curious and bolder. She opened her mouth wider and tried to accommodate his advances, learning and experimenting with varying degrees of success, much to Belphegor's satisfaction. By now, he had her pinned to the wall, his mouth roving over hers lustfully and possessively, his hand resting on the curve of her hip, his lean, wiry form all but plastered to her smaller, softer body. There was something quite attractive about the way she was pressed against him so needily, and the soft, reluctant moan that escaped that rosy mouth of hers was about the most erotic thing he had ever heard.

There and then, Belphegor decided that he was going to have Miura Haru, one way or another.

"Mom, what are they doing?"

Haru was so disorientated by Belphegor that it took her a minute or two to register the young voice that rang out from the entrance of the alleyway—as well as its ramifications. Her eyes flew open with dismay and she quickly tried to jerk away, but evidently, Belphegor did not share the same pressing need to separate from her. The golden-haired prince smiled against her mouth and held her tight against him, and when she tried to move her face to the side to break the kiss, he merely imitated her movements, almost as if he was physically glued to her lips. The thigh that he had kept between her legs shifted slightly to lock her firmly in place between him and the wall, and again, he took full advantage of the fact that her hands were kept busy holding onto shopping bags and therefore could only offer limited resistance.

Haru's face burned with embarrassment when she heard the faint 'tsk' of disapproval from the child's parental unit, and sure enough, the mother quickly ushered her offspring away, but not before delivering a scathing, parting shot to the 'overly amorous' couple. By the time Belphegor finally deigned to move away from her, Haru was quite angry, though breathlessly so.

The fuming brunette lashed out and kicked the overbearing prince hard in the shin the very moment he moved back and gave her enough leg space to do so, and surprisingly enough, her kick connected, albeit barely so.

Belphegor hissed out a particularly nasty expletive at the unexpected attack, though he did refrain from grabbing onto his bruised leg and hopping up and down like an idiot.

"You lied to me!!" Haru yelled at the blonde indignantly, though the effect of her anger was somewhat muted by her ruffled appearance, flushed features and kiss-redden lips. Her honey brown eyes were bright with irritation but Belphegor was hardly intimidated; surprisingly enough, he wasn't particularly angered by her violent behavior against his person.

The prince easily ignored the discomfort that flared at his shin and instead smirked indulgently at the seething woman. "I did not lie. We _were_ being watched."

The way he spoke made Haru want to kick something again, preferably him and that bloated head of his.

"By a little boy and his mother!! You think this is very funny, don't you?" she demanded, quite riled by his careless demeanor and blatantly amused expression. "We were being a public nuisance! It's indecent and wrong, you pervert!"

She sounded so very outraged and he had no doubt that she was also quite convinced that she had broken a few laws just by kissing him, and his grin widened. The woman was so easily agitated and he was beginning to find great entertainment in needling her to arouse her often comical responses. He chuckled deliberately, thereby sending her into another level of unimaginable frustration.

"Careful, little sparrow," he drawled out with deliberate blandness. "If you keep squawking so, I just might be tempted to kiss you again to shut you up."

This time, Haru responded by trying to club him over the head with her shopping bags.

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

If Belphegor is being overly touchy with Haru, well, he doesn't really much care. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants, and the opinions of others are really none of his concern. Unfortunately for Haru, he's a bit of an exhibitionist who doesn't really mind mentally scarring little children, so long as he gets his way in the end, of course!

Yes, our beloved Bel is a little bastard like that, but we like him that way, don't we?

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4858

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/12/09

**

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**

Chapter Seven

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When Belphegor told Haru that they were being followed the next day, it was to no one's surprise that the brunette did not believe a word that came out of his smirking mouth. In fact, she gave him a good frown and proceeded to pointedly ignore him for the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening. It was her last day in Florence and Haru fully intended to enjoy whatever time she had left in this beautiful city before they headed back to the Varia castle that night, and understandably, she did not wish to accommodate Belphegor and his antics.

Surprisingly enough, the blonde did not try to pull any tricks out of his sleeve, and he didn't try to bring up that topic again. He did, however, have that faint, bloodthirsty grin on his face, but Haru just dismissed that as his usual strange behavior. By the time dinner came and went, she had completely forgotten about the whole thing and Belphegor seemed to be more or less ignoring her. In fact, he appeared to be off in his own little world and she was only too glad that he wasn't bothering her for once.

It was when they were strolling along the River Arno when a volley of loud gunshots reminded her abruptly of Belphegor's seeming innocuous comment just a few hours ago, and amongst the chaos of the fleeing passersby, she was dragged abruptly behind a stone column and pushed down to a crouch by her golden-haired protector.

"Che. I was wondering what they wanted."

Heart pounding, Haru turned her head to stare at Belphegor only to see that the man in question was all but beaming maniacally with excitement. He was raring to go, vibrating with pent up energy and anticipating the thrill of the hunt ahead of him, and Haru yelped when a bullet ricochet off the pillar just a few inches away from her head, spraying bits of stone and sand all over the place.

"Who are they?!" the brunette blurted out tensely, her eyes dark with worry.

Bel cocked his head slightly at her, chuckling softly even as those familiar blades of his materialized between his thin fingers almost as if by magic.

"Didn't I mention earlier? These are our friendly neighborhood stalkers."

Haru stiffened slightly in disbelief.

"You weren't lying?"

He wasn't offended by her lack of trust in him. If anything, his smile widened gleefully.

"I never lie. There is never a need for me to do so." Before she could ponder on his words, he continued. "Stay. Wait. I have already pinpointed their individual locations. This will not take long."

He broke cover and systematically commenced his counterattack. His lethally sharp, custom made knifes were not bullets, but they found their targets with an unerring accuracy that quickly brought any ranged weapon to shame. This was the first time she had the opportunity to see him in live action, and spurred on by curiosity, Haru could not help but peek out cautiously from behind her hiding place to see just what made this man 'Varia quality.'

It turned out that Belphegor was exceedingly proficient in his trade.

There was a casual, understated grace in his movements as he carried out his attacks calmly—okay, so he wasn't being all that calm and was instead giddy with joy at being able to cause bloodshed—but it was undeniable to Haru that he was very good at what he did. She ignored the fact that all of his attacks were aimed to kill—being part of the Vongola Famiglia for more than ten years had taught her that the annihilation of an enemy was sometimes essential to survival of the Family, and if it came down to their foes or her friends, Haru knew where her priorities lay.

Their attackers fell before him in great numbers; even their bulk strength was unable to stop the juggernaut that was the Varia's Prince. Belphegor seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, judging by his insane cackles as he methodically cut through the ranks of hired assassins. There wasn't even a need for him to unleash Mink, and just as quickly as it happened, it was soon all over.

Haru waited an extra minute after all the shots had died down before standing up cautiously and scanning for Belphegor's blonde head. Needless to say, the streets were completely empty of civilians by now, and it didn't take her all that long to locate Bel. He was standing near the historical Holy Trinity Bridge of the Arno River, less than a hundred meters away from her and she hurriedly picked her way over to him. Haru looked a little green as she carefully skirted past a few unmoving bodies, but she forged on stubbornly ahead, and before long, was right beside her guardian.

Belphegor was in the process of recalling his blades with the aid of those barely visible wires of his and he slanted a glance at Haru when she came abreast of him.

"I'm surprised you aren't puking your guts out by now," he commented by way of greeting, a relaxed, lazy grin on his face. It was apparent he was in a terribly good mood now that he had caused some mayhem and gotten to stab some people, and she shot him an offended look.

"Why were we attacked? Who are they?" she asked instead, purposely ignoring his remark.

Belphegor shrugged elegantly.

"Bounty hunters, most likely, either trying their luck or hired by the kin of people I have killed in the hopes of taking revenge. Geh, I get those at least once every other month."

Haru could only stare at how casual he was about this type of things. The sound of police sirens wailed from a distance then, and the brunette thought that she could see the telltale flash of blue and red strobe lights just a few miles or so ahead of her. Beside her, Belphegor cursed under his breath.

She turned back to look at him. He had retrieved all of his weapons by then, but no longer appeared quite as amused.

"We need to go now," he told her shortly, and he did not give her time to protest his decision. He grabbed her by the elbow and quickly led her towards the _Ponte Santa Trinita_, and stumped, Haru followed after him.

He came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the long, impressive stone bridge, and then he turned to her.

"By the way, do you know how to swim?"

It was such a random question, Haru thought.

She nodded slightly.

"Yes, I know how to swim…" she trailed off before asking what she really wanted to know. "Are we in trouble with the police?"

The prince flashed her a sharp, edgy grin. "You could say that."

He started to remove his jacket, and without further ado, chucked it over the edge and into the dark waters below. She gawked at him, not even thinking to resist when he reached for her and started to remove hers for her too.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she protested when he forcibly separated her from her outerwear and tossed it overboard as well. They were so high up on the bridge and it was so dark at night that she couldn't detect her poor coat once Bel threw it into the river. "What was that for?! I liked that coat!"

"I'm getting rid of the evidence," he retorted, as if she was an imbecile. She frowned at him.

"But I had nothing to do with this whole thing!"

"That may be true, but you are with me, aren't you?"

She had nothing to say to that, and he began issuing orders, as usual. "Take a deep breath and hold it."

She looked at him suspiciously. "What? Why?"

Now that he had discarded their heavy outer coats, he was approaching her with an intent that was simply unmistakable. She was quickly being cornered between him and the stone structure of the bridge, and it didn't take long for Haru's eyes to widen with abrupt realization. His question and actions were beginning to make a lot of sense to her.

"No!!" she blurted out, scrambling the hell away from him but with little success. He was blocking all routes of escape and approaching quickly. It didn't take him much effort to reach out and snag her by the wrist. Haru squawked and tried to smack him away, at the same time twisting aside and trying to make a break from the clearly deranged madman but he was having none of it.

With a move that completely belied his lanky, wiry form, he bent slightly, drove his shoulder into her stomach and hauled her half over his back like she was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Haru felt her breath whoosh out from her as her entire world tilted sideways but still she fought, screeching like a banshee and desperately trying to get off of Belphegor. The golden-haired man grunted as he absorbed her struggles and yelps of distress, but he continued to move unerringly towards the edge of the bridge.

"Don't!" Haru shrilled frantically. "Belphegor, if you throw me into that river I will never forgive you!!"

He did pause at that. "Never?" he enquired curiously, a sliver of amusement leaking through his otherwise perfectly casual tone.

Haru nodded emphatically. "Never!" she declared fervently. "We are at least four stories above the water, damn you!! Can't you find some compassion in that black, shriveled-up heart of yours and let me go?!!"

He considered her words for all of three seconds, and meanwhile, the sirens from the police cars grew louder. Haru wriggled and splayed her hands on his lower back, trying to heave herself upright from her upside down position but with not much success.

"Sorry," Belphegor replied at last, and she could all but hear the smirk in his voice. "I'm all out of compassion today. Try again tomorrow."

And then he threw her over the edge and into the river.

Haru screamed all the way down.

Her golden-haired guardian allowed himself a quiet chuckle of genuine amusement before he leapt in after her.

_

* * *

_

The water was freezing.

Haru almost felt her heart seize as her body struggled to adjust to the sudden change in temperature, and the strong current did not help her situation any. The woman sputtered and quickly started to kick, instinctively trying to stay afloat even as she was being swept downriver. It was pitch dark around her and she could barely see anything but the dim streetlights hovering somewhere far above her, and thankfully enough, she was still quite angry with that irresponsible Belphegor to feel too scared about her horrible situation.

How dare he just fling her four stories down into a raging river like she was some unwanted piece of garbage? As Haru bobbed up and down in the strong, endless stretch of water, she swore that she was definitely going to survive this no matter what just so that she could return to the Varia castle and let him have a piece of her mind, that royal bastard!

Something grabbed onto her waist then, and the skittish woman shrieked in shock, accidentally swallowed a mouthful of water, and then resurfaced and quickly tried to kick away whatever it was that had caught hold of her.

"Stop struggling or I will just let you drown." The voice that hissed into her ear was both comforting and maddening at the same time, and Haru could not help but flare up and smack him over the head for landing her in this predicament.

"I could have died, you moron!!" she yelled angrily at him from above the loud rush of the water, and tried to hit him again only for him to catch hold of her flailing limbs and drag her close. She could barely see his silhouette, but his blonde hair was like a pale beacon amongst the darkness. Haru struggled against his grip but he did not let go.

"Stop it," he ordered her, squeezing her hard in warning. "You are wasting energy, foolish woman."

Haru was too angry to argue with him, and complied reluctantly. Now that Belphegor was with her and she realized that she wasn't all alone in the unknown waters, her anxiety was dying down some and it _really_ was cold. Haru tried to keep her mind off her discomfort and quickly found something else to focus on instead.

"We are going to be swept out to sea at this rate," she remarked quite unhappily.

"Unlikely," Belphegor replied, sounding quite relaxed despite the dire situation that they were in. At least, it was certainly most dire to Haru. On the other hand, her blonde guardian was acting as if he was just taking a dip in a tropical pool. Haru was not amused.

"Let go of me," the brunette muttered, not wanting to be so near Bel at the moment, not that she ever wanted to be near him any other time, god forbid.

Not surprisingly, her demand was promptly ignored.

"No. Misplacing you will bring me some inconvenience."

Haru stared at him incredulously. Then she scowled.

"How about I bring you some inconvenience now by screaming my head off and alerting everyone in this vicinity of our position?"

She could almost sense his sharp smile in reply.

"Try," he challenged her cockily, and not one to go back on her word, Haru took a deep breath, open her mouth, and was about to try her best to burst Belphegor's eardrums when the man in question slapped a hand over her mouth.

She promptly let out a muffled squawk of outrage.

"You really are a crazy one, aren't you?" The Varia's Prince sounded quite intrigued, and Haru was tempted to bite him. She refrained, though. Knowing that man, he would probably try to drown her in retaliation, and Haru happened to like breathing, thank you very much.

"You are the crazy one!" she burst out at him when he finally removed his hand from her face. She yelped and nearly swallowed river water again when the blonde drew her firmly against his taut body, his hand splayed intimately against the small of her back, his warm breath filtering past her ear. Haru would have been most uncomfortable if not for the fact that she was too busy struggling to stay afloat in the water to care.

She was definitely no endurance demon like Tsuna and his Guardians, or even the Varia, and was tiring fast. The fact that her clothes and shoes were weighing her down and it was so damn cold in the water that she was starting to lose all sense of feeling in her limbs was not helping matters any. Haru was shivering miserably and definitely felt every bit as unhappy as she looked. Her slight, trembling frame must have been quite apparent to Belphegor, for the blonde commented in a somewhat belittling tone. "You are weak."

Haru's temper flared. "I'm not a fighter; I'm not required to be strong," she snapped. "Sorry for being a normal person and freezing half to death in the middle of an icy river!"

She was definitely quite displeased. Bel didn't really care, though.

"You should be sorry," he replied quite nonchalantly, almost as if they were just casually carrying a conversation and not neck deep in the second largest river in the whole of Italy. The fact that he was singlehandedly preventing her from going under spoke volumes for his strength, and even though she was quite obviously irked by him at the moment, Haru swallowed her pride and clung reluctantly onto him like a lifeline.

"Shut up," she mumbled, her cold, bloodless fingers clutching tightly to his shoulder. "If you didn't go all stab-happy with those people, we wouldn't be having this conversation, you lunatic."

As usual, he was hardly offended by her insults. The fact that she was huddled up to him all the same and not flinching away in terror told him that she was clearly unafraid of him. Despite having witnessed the amount of damage that he could cause, she certainly didn't seem to be overly bothered.

Not for the first time, Belphegor wondered what to make of this decidedly unusual woman.

A brief flare of light from the side of the river attracted the blonde's attention then, and without another word to the huffing female, he changed his direction of travel and swam towards the riverbank in swift, sure strokes, dragging his sputtering charge behind him in the water with minimal effort.

It wasn't long before they finally emerged from the river, the wiry, golden-haired prince shaking droplets out of his shaggy hair with casual grace, almost as if he had just stepped out from a pool, whereas a drowned-looking Haru stumbled after him like a particularly ungainly baby duckling, shivering hard and looking quite miserable.

Haru decided that she shouldn't be surprised when they walked just a bit further inland and abruptly came upon a familiar limousine waiting in a conveniently deserted clearing. The expensive, luxurious vehicle flew the flags of the Varia on both sides of its front fenders, and the chauffer as well as another unnamed assistant waiting patiently by the limo came forward immediately the moment they saw Belphegor.

"Your Highness." They bowed formally before the blonde royal, straightening only after Belphegor acknowledged them with an impatient grunt. Behind him, Haru trembled with cold and sneezed acutely, shifting here and there in the hopes of distracting herself from her discomfort.

Belphegor snapped out something in sharp Italian then, and immediately, one of the men came towards her with a large towel.

"My apologies, Miss Haru," the dignified looking assistant explained to her even as he passed her the much needed cloth to dry herself with. "This was what we could find with such short notice. We will leave for the hotel with due haste as soon as you are ready, Miss."

Haru really wasn't given much choice, and before she could thank the old man for his consideration towards her, Belphegor, his set of towels in hand, grabbed hold of her again and started to drag her towards the car. She was promptly bundled into the limo with him following close behind her, and she heard him issue what was clearly an order over his shoulder, again in fluent Italian, before the door was closed smartly by the chauffeur.

Haru wrapped herself snugly in her towel and felt a bit better once they were enclosed within the temperature regulated interior of the vehicle. Less than a minute later they were on the move, and she was busy being relieved that this unexpected evening would soon be over when the man sitting opposite from her started to remove his sodden clothes with a casualness that made her gawk.

She averted her eyes hastily to the tinted windows the moment his hands went to the zipper of his pants, but not before she caught an eyeful of his toned torso and the sleek muscles that delineated his wiry, whipcord-like frame. She had always thought that he was somewhat scrawny when compared to the other more…_robust_ members of the Varia, but it seemed that she was wrong after all.

Embarrassed to be contemplating the physique of her horrible Guardian, Haru glued her eyes desperately to the scenery outside even though she could see nothing more than swiftly passing shadows. The sounds of rustling clothes could be heard for a few more seconds or so, and then all was silent.

Until Bel spoke, that was.

"Take off your clothes."

Haru promptly forgot that she was not supposed to look at Belphegor and turned sharply to regard him.

"Excuse…me?" Her initially sharp tone trailed away to an uncertain question when she saw the Prince sitting across from her, clad only in his boxers. He looked confident as can be and didn't appear to behave differently from his usual cocky self, and sure enough, there was that familiar smirk on his face that made her twitch inwardly.

Haru felt her face heat up with embarrassment, but still she kept her gaze firmly on Bel.

"I didn't stutter," he drawled calmly in response to her disbelieving expression. "You look like a drowned rat."

"And whose fault is that?" she retorted irritably. "I'm not taking anything off with you around."

He was toweling his hair without a care in the world, his crown sitting on the seat beside him. His smile widened anticipatorily at her peeved reply.

"You can take off your clothes and towel yourself dry or I will pin you down and do it for you."

He sounded quite pleasant and genial as usual, but she had no doubt that he would do just as promised. Enough time spent with him had taught her that he never lied when it came to fulfilling his threats.

"Besides, it's not as if I won't get to see all of you eventually," he continued silkily in a deliberately soft tone, and when she frowned suspiciously at his near inaudible words, he grinned deviously and repeated.

"I said, it's not as if you have anything worth looking at," he spoke with an intentionally louder volume, and immediately, her miserable, downtrodden demeanor disappeared completely, replaced by irritation as she bristled and honed a fine glare at him.

Without another word, Haru started to remove her clothes. She took great pains to protect her modesty by covering as much of herself with the thankfully large towel before wriggling out from her wet and heavy outfit. It took her quite awhile to complete her task and she was most conscious of the man sitting just across from her.

Belphegor was making no attempts whatsoever to hide the fact that he was staring at her, that secretive smile playing on his lips, widening into a leer when the last of her sodden clothes were discarded on the floor.

"Are you naked under that towel now?"

Haru clutched her bulky, fluffy towel to herself and visibly shrunk against the leather seats. "Gokudera and Yamamoto taught me how to deal with perverts. Come any nearer and you will find my fingers in your eyes."

She looked a bit green at the thought of sticking her digits into anybody's eyes, and that told him that she was bluffing most exaggeratedly.

"And do you honestly think that I will allow you to do that?"

"I will try all the same!" she snapped. "Repeatedly!!"

And then she proceeded to ruin all her efforts at intimidation with an ill-timed sneeze, much to her chagrin.

He was grinning edgily with amusement when she rubbed her nose blearily and looked at him again.

"You know," he started conversationally, almost as if she wasn't regarding him warily. "The Varia has a standing agreement with _le Polizia di Stato_. We help them maintain order in our territories, and in return, they do not interfere with any of the Family's affairs. It's a mutually beneficial situation for everyone."

At first, Haru did not understand the abrupt change in topic. Then she rewound Bel's seemingly random remark in her head and noticed something amiss.

"In that case, why did we even have to flee?"

It didn't make any sense to her.

His explanation was simple.

"Paperwork."

Haru could only stare at him, dumbfounded. Belphegor looked so pleased with himself at the moment that she really didn't know what to say.

"Paperwork?" she echoed slowly.

It made perfect sense to him.

"We are not entirely free from the jurisdiction of the State Police. They work in conjunction with Vendicare to ensure that none of the Mafia can take advantage of this little clause to go on mass killing sprees. All of us are required to justify our actions. It's all formally written on ink and paper."

It finally occurred to Haru what Belphegor was getting at, and she was not amused.

Normally soft, doe-brown eyes flashed with anger.

Belphegor stared unabashedly, smiling with genuine glee at her reaction. There was just something about her that attracted his undivided attention whenever she was angry, and it was no wonder that he was always trying to get her riled up.

"And so you had this great idea to throw me four stories _into a river_? Just so that you can avoid a few measly pieces of paperwork?!! Belphegor, you-_Achooo_!!"

Haru sneezed again before she could complete what she wanted to say, and the fuming, disorientated woman threw out a hand in vain effort to keep the golden-haired prince at bay when he moved towards her. Her feeble action was promptly ignored, as usual, and Bel caught her wrist and dragged her towards him with little preamble. Her skin was cold to the touch and she was still trembling, albeit less so now, and her guardian swiftly saw fit to rectify the situation.

Haru gave a muffled, unhappy yelp of protest when he removed her towel and tossed it over his shoulder, in the process revealing her modest underwear. The matching set of panties and bra was a plain white but decorated all over with little red, winged hearts and the blonde took a brief moment to properly appreciate her lithe, uncovered figure until Haru tried to smack him away from her.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled even as her efforts at evading him failed. He pulled her resisting form against his dry, much warmer torso and Haru tried to wriggle away from him with little success.

"What does it looks like to you?" he retorted silkily. "I'm doing my duty as a guardian and taking care of you, my little pet. It wouldn't do for you to catch a little cold now, would it?"

He sounded so sickeningly saccharine that she shuddered and automatically tried to inch away from him.

"Pervert!! I don't need you to take care of me!" Haru objected even though the heat radiating off him simply felt wonderful to her chilled body. She was also quickly tiring, but still put up a minimal fight even as he easily pulled her beside him and arranged her to fit against him better. "Hey!! Get away from me, you- you naked person!!"

He chuckled at her flustered reaction.

"But I'm not exactly naked, per se. Would you prefer if I was so? I would be more than happy to remove-"

"No!" She blurted out quickly before he could continue, simply appalled by his shameless suggestion. Her face was becoming bright red with embarrassment and she was still trying to push away from him but he wasn't letting up his hold on her. If anything, he held her tighter, squeezing her around the waist warningly and eliciting a disgruntled squeak from her.

The Prince smiled, simply delighted with her stubbornness and fire.

"If you keep squirming like that," he drawled innocuously at last. "I won't be responsible for my body's reactions."

Haru stilled so quickly that Bel chuckled, and in response, she lifted her head and gave him the evil eye. She was such a fierce, prickly little thing when riled, and the Prince was charmed.

Or at least, Belphegor was certainly quite content amusing himself with the pretty brunette.

She was rigid as a board by his side, though he was patient this time around and was learning to bide his time when it came to her. Sure enough, her fatigue from her exertions earlier quickly ensured that she was unable to maintain her unnatural pose away from him, and at last, she sagged against him in tired defeat.

He smiled like a fox, victorious.

She had had a long day and it was only natural that she would tire soon, having possessed none of the super endurance of the Varia or the Vongola Boss and his Guardians. The fact that she was resisting him all the same spoke for her determination, and he was silently impressed. She was fighting her exhaustion but slowly losing, leaning cautiously against his shoulder until he moved her to rest her head against his chest.

She did not resist, surprisingly enough, and by then, her shivers had also abated. She was still slightly stiff against him, but other than that, quietly accepted his will and allowed him to arrange her to his liking. It was apparent that she was too exhausted to fight him for now and he released his restraining hold on her, rewarding her involuntary compliance by running his fingers through her rapidly drying hair.

He was proving to be capable of being surprisingly gentle when he wished, and Haru relaxed eventually, draped against him comfortably even as his body heat and quiet atmosphere slowly calmed her jumpy senses.

"I still hate you," she muttered drowsily even as her eyes slowly slid shut. She was thoroughly exhausted, and just this one time, she decided to trust Belphegor.

He chuckled quietly, looking at her docile form as she lay quietly by his side.

"I know; it wouldn't be half as entertaining if you didn't."

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

The part where Italy's State Police was supposed to be working in conjunction with Vendicare was entirely made up. I figured that with all the possible wars and killings going on between the different MafiaN Families, there had to be a connection with the police force to keep them in the loop, and at the same time, encourage them not to interfere with the Mafia's affairs as well.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Poor Haru; she's always being bullied one way or another by Belphegor, and it doesn't help that he's always taking advantage of her every chance he gets. She's doing her best to repel his advances, but since he has already set his sights on her, well…

Good luck, Haru!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2542

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/11/09

**

* * *

Chapter Eight

* * *

**

She was drunk the first time they had sex.

It wasn't an accident; he had plied her with enough alcohol to down an elephant before she finally showed signs of intoxication. Surprisingly enough, she could hold her liquor very well. Unlike her normally cheerful, boisterous nature, she was an unexpectedly quiet drunk, sitting beside him docilely and solemnly watching the world around her with those large honey brown eyes of hers. He had smiled his usual indecipherable smile and placed an arm around her bare shoulders casually, and she had stared at him with something akin to confusion before she tried to shrug him off. He did not allow that, though, merely tightened his hold on her until she was all but drawn against his own lean, wiry frame.

She was soft against him, malleable and downright agreeable to the ferocious, maddened beast within him that was always thirsting for blood. This time around, the beast settled down slightly, sensing no threat from this woman, no hint of aggression. He had known for the longest time that killing her would be like skinning an already dead rabbit; there was simply no thrill in it.

No, there were other ways to gain exhilarating pleasure from this infuriatingly happy, good-natured woman who belonged to the Juudaime's family. There was more than just bloodlust to slake, after all.

She quit fighting him on the possessive placement of his arm eventually, and did not kick up a stir like he had half expected her to. Instead, she passively accepted his will and the prince in him was savagely pleased by her obedience. She was certainly a lot more manageable in this state compared to her normally feisty countenance, and he allowed her to cuddle sleepily into his side.

The other members of the Varia had stared at the closeness between the violent prince and their tech with varying degrees of surprise, amusement, irritation, and indifference, though none of them interfered when he left the party with his pretty little prize in tow. The girl was his responsibility, after all, and should something really happen to her, he would ultimately be the one to answer for it to the Decimo.

He led her back to her suite of rooms, and she followed. He had been her guard and guide in this large castle for the past month, the one constant companion throughout the weeks that she had been here whether she wanted it or not. Despite how she really didn't like his arrogant and cruel and sometimes petulantly childish mannerisms, she really did trust him, this insane, knife wielding, tiara wearing man with the sadistic grin and the ridiculously long fringe.

That trust, that innocent belief in the good of everyone, was a weakness he would not fail to exploit, and the moment he had her in the bedroom, her fate was sealed.

He guided her to the bed, sat down on its edge, and drew her to stand between his legs. She wore a simple black, strapless sheath dress that was accentuated at the waist with a flowing, bright red sash. The dress stopped at mid-thigh, showcasing her slender legs that were further emphasized by matching crimson heels. She wore no jewelry whatsoever, but somehow, her simple dress had attracted his attention the entire evening even when there were countless more beautiful women fighting just to get a glance from him.

She hadn't noticed the increasingly intent manner in which he was watching her, of course, and would have happily sat through the entire extravagant party by herself and gazing at the crowd of well-heeled guests when he finally stopped fighting his decision to have her.

He was a prince, born to take what he wanted and everything else be damned. The moment he ascertained that he wanted her, he immediately made plans to acquire his newest interest. She was alone, there was an overabundance of free flowing liquor, and he was just enough of a bastard to use what was on hand in order to get her as swiftly as possible.

And now, here she was, looking at him with those large brown eyes of hers. She appeared bewildered by her situation; the silence between them was deafening compared to the vibrant party that they were both in earlier. She seemed to be able to tell that something was amiss, but wasn't quite sure what.

"Bel…phegor?" she called out hesitantly at last. It was a bit difficult to make out his features in the darkness of the room, and he was as unreadable as always, but then she saw the way his smile widened to a lazy grin. He beckoned her nearer, and confused and dazed by the amount of alcohol running through her system, she obeyed unthinkingly.

Their position was startlingly intimate, even though he did not touch her still. He dropped his chin on her bare shoulder when she was near enough, his burnished gold hair brushing against her own soft, mahogany locks. She made a small sound of surprise in her throat; he was so near that she could feel his expelled breath against the sensitive flesh of her neck.

"You look very nice tonight, little sparrow. Such soft, milky skin you have…it makes me want to take my blades and paint you crimson."

She didn't freeze or recoil with terror at his seductively dangerous purr, and only emitted the most ear pleasing whimper when he scraped his teeth softly, teasingly, against the slender curve of her shoulder. He drew back slightly and licked his lips, a growing smile on his face as he easily felt the fine trembling of her body against his own. He started to undress her. The sash was the first to go, fluttering to the floor in a scarlet shimmer of silk. The dress was next, slipped off her lithe, waifish figure with little resistance, leaving her clad only in her underwear, the innocent cartoon bunny designs more cute than sexy, much to his amusement.

She wasn't the most buxom woman he had seen, but more than made up for it with her slender legs and shapely hips. He watched her thoughtfully through veiled eyes, and his smile widened some more. She, too, was staring at him with glassy eyes, though he was rather certain that she wasn't quite aware of the full extent of her situation yet. She would realize tomorrow, of course, and he chuckled inwardly as he reached around her and unhooked her bra clasp, allowing the undergarment to fall to the ground.

Would she hate him, he wondered. God, he hoped so. It would certainly make things a lot more interesting around here.

She seemed to comprehend her state of undress then, and tried to protect her modesty by covering her chest with her hands. Her eyes were wide, her face flushed from the effects of alcohol. There was the smallest glimmer of awareness hidden somewhere within her dazed countenance, and he grinned wickedly at her. She was slowly coming to her senses, but it was too late. He had her within his grasp now, and when she started to retreat, he grabbed hold of her with ease and tugged her onto the bed. She landed on her back amongst the soft, luxurious coverlet, momentarily stunned, and he covered her smaller body with his own.

The contrast of his fully dressed form against her nearly naked body was obvious, and her breath hitched as the material of his jacket rubbed against her sensitive breasts.

"_Belphegor_," she breathed, the hint of awareness earlier flaring sharply to life as she began to realize just where she was and what he was doing. "No."

"Yes," he countered silkily. "There's nothing you can do to stop me, is there?" And he was right. Her wrists were locked together above her head, held firmly in place by his fingers. Her movements were sluggish, her reaction too slow.

"No," she repeated again when his other hand started to wander up and down her body, his leg sliding lazily between hers, his hot mouth descending over her bared neck. "No, please…a-aah…"

That shaky, helpless, kittenish mew aroused him beyond belief. Who knew that she was capable of making such an alluring sound?

"I won't stop," he murmured richly into her ear. "You don't really want me to. Feel how your body is responding to me."

"But- I…no, Bel…nnnghh!!" She was panting shallowly under him, struggling weakly to get away from him, away from the hard pressure of his knee against that sensitive spot at the junction of her thighs. He held her firmly in place, however, allowing her struggles to do nothing more than to…_inflame_ her further. A quiet, muffled whine escaped her throat, and against her better judgment, her hips jerked on their own accord, fervently pressing against him for more of that heady friction.

Her body told him more than she was willing to. He grinned dangerously.

"You are mine tonight."

* * *

Haru felt like hell warmed over when she woke up the next morning. Her head was pounding mercilessly, her mouth felt as if it had been stuffed full of sawdust, and her body felt unbearably sensitive and achy. She whimpered uncomfortably to herself and curled into a tight ball of misery; what had she done last night?

There was this huge party to celebrate Varia's four hundred and tenth anniversary of existence, and she only had a glass of red wine…then Belphegor had came over to offer her more…

_Belphegor_.

Her head hurt terribly at the thought of the blonde man, and then the flashes of memories followed swiftly.

Him touching her. Him undressing her. His mouth on her body. His hands lingering over the most intimate parts of her.

_What happened last night? _

Almost as if on cue, her bed partner chose that moment to roll over in his sleep, nonchalantly throwing a lanky arm around her bare torso as he pressed against her back.

Haru's eyes flew open so quickly, and completely disregarding the pain that screamed into her retinas, she scrambled upright with a gasp. Turning her head to the side sharply, she saw a disturbingly familiar head of shaggy blonde hair, sans crown, half hidden amongst the covers. Haru quickly grabbed a corner of the bed sheet and tugged up roughly, trying to shield her own naked self, and in the process, accidentally uncovering the man lying beside her.

"Belphegor?!!" she shrieked in disbelief. Oh god, it wasn't a dream! He looked as nude as she was, and hurriedly, she threw the other end of the coverlet over his middle.

The prince stirred awake at the racket, not at all a morning person. "Shut up, woman," he hissed. "Why are you so fucking noisy?"

Haru gaped at his audacity before she started to get angry herself.

"You are in my bed, _and_ _we are naked_!" she sounded horrified. "What did you do?!"

She was very nearly hysterical, and annoyed, he ignored her. Instead, he rolled onto his belly and stretched languidly like a cat, feeling his sleep-rigid form loosen and relax with a purring hum. She watched his slow, unhurried action, the subtle play of sleek muscles on his back strangely mesmerizing until she caught herself and looked hurriedly away, her face darkening with a telling blush. He leaned his elbow on the bed and propped his chin on an upturned palm, observing the woman's morning silhouette with lazy attention. She was clutching the bed sheet to her chest and looking particularly vulnerable, and he smiled widely with amusement.

"What do you think we did last night?" he asked at last, slyly, silkily. Despite the abrupt wake up call, he was apparently in a good mood still. There was hardly any tension in him, and for now, his usual vicious, bloodthirsty temperament was momentarily subdued. It was all thanks to this slender little brunette girl/woman. She had been such a satisfying bedmate, so passionate and _hungry_ for him once he managed to get past her reluctance and inhibitions last night, lusty and insatiable under him, and he had her nail marks on the sides of his hips and waist to prove it.

Haru blanched at what he was insinuating, and then she quickly shook her head, trying to deny the situation. "No," she uttered forcefully, fervently. "No way. Nothing happened, right? You are trying to play a prank on me again, right?" She was getting agitated and all shaken up, and even though she was furiously rejecting his words, the achiness of her body and the soreness between her thighs told the truth. The mental block that she had placed willfully over her own memories refused to hold, and the brief images of him, _Belphegor_, straining over her—heat and pleasure and urgency thrumming in her veins—her legs wrapped tightly around his lean hips—urging him to go _harder, faster_—the wanton sounds she had made as he drove himself repeatedly into her—

Oh.

Oh. No.

The frazzled brunette buried her face in her hands, distressed and highly upset with herself.

"But I was a _virgin_!!" she wailed.

"Well, yes, I know," Bel quipped amusedly, completely unbothered by her personal crisis. He had been surprised when he tore through her maidenhead when they had sex the first time. "Is that supposed to be something to be proud of, though? Aren't you, like, already twenty-four? A bit too old to still be a virgin, don't you think?"

Haru had really felt like crying earlier, but as had proven countless of times before, Belphegor had the most infuriating way of making her very angry, and she promptly stopped mourning her lost innocence in favor of something else, like trying to visually strangle this man whom she had somehow spent the night with. _Why him, of all the men in the world?!!_

"Why, you- !!! I was saving myself for the man I love!!" she yelled at him unabashedly. "I can't believe that I slept with you!!"

"You are going to have to try harder if your intention is to make me feel bad, which I don't, by the way," the maddening man commented idly, bring about her strangled cry of outrage. She was starting to turn purple with anger, and heh, his newest plaything was such a joy to provoke. "In fact, don't you think you should be feeling grateful instead? You had your first sexual encounter with me, a prince, and judging by how you certainly weren't complaining last night, I think I have done a good job."

He was being so insufferably arrogant and presumptuous that Haru could only gawk at him.

"You…" She gritted her teeth. "I'm going to kill you, even if I have to learn Bianchi-san's poisonous recipes in order to do so."

She sounded rather calm and convincing too, though he only watched her consideringly through his long fringe. "Hmm…" he hummed thoughtfully before flashing her a crooked smile. "Might make for interesting foreplay, provided that you _really_ try hard to kill me."

He didn't sound like he was joking, and Haru turned bright red in the face at what he had just implied. She glared at him.

"There isn't going to be a next time, you pervert!!"

_

* * *

::owari::

* * *

_

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Aha, this installment occurs just a bit after the Florence episode. Belphegor is being a bastard, but I can't imagine him behaving any other way. He is flirting dangerously between the line of what is acceptable and what isn't, but is smart enough not to overdo it. Poor Haru is going to have a lot on her hands when dealing with him!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

…By the way, there will be some M-rated materials in the next few chapters! You have been warned!!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2802

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/12/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Nine

* * *

The next few days following that eventful party celebrating the Varia's four hundred and tenth year of existence came and went in complete chaos for Haru. It was all the fault of a certain prince, of course, and Haru decided that she really hated him, the bastard.

He was most assuredly the worst person she ever had the misfortune to meet.

It was bad enough that he had gotten her drunk and had tricked her into going to bed with him, but he didn't even have the decency to leave her to mourn her lost innocence in peace. Haru was terribly disappointed in herself and wanted nothing more than to wallow in self-pity for being so gullible and foolishly trusting, but of course, the man responsible for her distress simply refused to leave her the hell alone. Avoiding him wasn't an option at all when he had every legitimate excuse to remain around her, and worse of all, he didn't seem to share the same awkwardness she felt around him.

If anything, Belphegor was his usual cocky, arrogant self, maybe even more so, which did nothing to improve her volatile mood. Haru still had trouble accepting that she had went and had sexual relations with the golden-haired, psycho prince of the Varia, and just thinking of it would make her growl with renewed fury—whenever she wasn't in a dazed state of belated shock, that was.

It was clear to her now that he had taken advantage of her, that lecherous pervert. Haru wanted nothing more than to believe that the sex with Bel wasn't consensual but knew that was hardly the case. He had only gotten her drunk enough to lower her inhibitions and throw aside her morals, but as for the rest, the things that she had allowed him to do to her, the sexual acts that he had initiated and she had participated in, they ran through her mind with crystal clarity and she had clearly been a willing party.

Damn him!!

She was simultaneously angry and upset over the events that had transpired between herself and him, and worst of all, she was all alone in this foreign country with no one to share her headache with. Haru could just imagine the type of reaction the other members of Varia would have if it were made known to them that she had slept with their resident Prince Lunatic, and just thinking of it made her cringe inwardly with increasing upset.

Little did she know that most of the Unit Commanders could more or less guess what was going on, being neither blind nor deaf. Belphegor could hardly be called discreet even on a good day, and his increasing interest in his charge had been more or less detected by the rest of his fellow executives for the last few weeks.

Poor Haru would have been mortified if she knew of a certain 'harmless, little bet' going on between Lussuria, Fran, and Levi, and it seemed that the young, deadpan Mist Varia had accurately predicted his 'evil senpai's' moves down to the very letter, thereby earning him a month long vacation from 'grunt' duties as well as a week's paycheck from his two seniors.

Haru had no time to worry about such inconsequential matters, though. She was up to her neck in trouble as it was, and now that Belphegor had found his newest plaything, there was nothing on earth that could keep him away.

Still, Haru tried, even if she didn't succeed very well. Belphegor allowed himself to be ignored for a grand total of two days before he lost his patience with her.

"What do you want?" the pretty brunette hissed softly when he finally cornered her along a deserted stretch of hallway after dinner. Her posture was stiff and she was clearly uncomfortable around him, her eyes flashing as she glared at him. She was bristling with hostility, not willing to back down from him even when he had her backed into a wall, neatly trapped against his own wiry frame.

Her anger washed off his back like it was of little consequence to him, and he smiled lazily at her.

"You have been avoiding me," he stated quite casually, and Haru growled.

"You think?" she sounded quite sarcastic even as she tried to find a way to wriggle away from him. Unfortunately for her, he had expected as much from her and merely moved even closer, all but crowding her against the wall. Frustrated, she placed her hands on his chest and tried to shove him off her.

She might as well have been trying to move a mountain for all the good it did her.

"Get off me!" she demanded at last in a hushed whisper. For a place as huge as the Varia castle, noise travelled to the most unexpected of places and the last thing Haru wanted was for everyone living here to know of her unseemly relationship with the golden-haired prince. Understandably, her unwillingness to bring any attention to their interaction was something Belphegor was quick to use to his greatest advantage, and the smirking blonde nonchalantly laid his hand on the curve of her waist.

She quickly went even more rigid, freezing momentarily before renewing her efforts at getting away from him. She was squirming determinedly, trying to make just one small gap that she could slip out of but once again, he foiled her plans by simply leaning into her. Pinned to the wall by his weight, his leg tangled with hers and his arm wrapped around her waist, Haru quickly found herself well and truly stuck.

"Done fighting yet?" Belphegor asked with quiet amusement, apparently in good spirits, Haru thought sourly.

"No!" she snapped, and when she pinched his side to try to get him to back off, he merely absorbed her attack and calmly retaliated by nudging her legs further apart and pressing his thigh against that sensitive spot between her thighs. She squeaked and promptly turned bright pink.

"What are you doing?!" she cried out, panicked. "Stop that!"

He did no such thing, of course, and promptly made use of her distraction to molest her further; his nimble fingers brushing lingeringly against her soft bottom before cupping and squeezing her through the thin fabric of her skirt. His golden head lowered to her neck, nipping sharply at the gentle curve of her jawbone before moving to claim her lips with his, eliciting a muffled gasp of protest from the unwilling female.

The kiss was far from gentle; it was downright carnal and lustful and hinted heavily at the prince's less than innocent intent towards her, and for the life of Haru, she was simply helpless against his overpowering, sexual onslaught. His tongue slid and rubbed sensually against hers even as he lowered his leg and ground his hips against hers, and the growing hardness that he had pressed between her thighs was simply unmistakable. Haru jerked instinctively at the sensation, her face turning apple red even as she was starting to breathe a bit harder than usual.

"No," she muttered against his questing mouth, though this time around, her denial was a lot softer and spoken with less vehemence than before. She was flushed and also sported a bewildered look on her face, though the reluctant arousal that showed on her face and in the glazed brightness of her eyes told him otherwise. She was so amazingly responsive, and when he arched his erection against her softness once more, the helpless whimper that escaped her lips accompanied the purely instinctive twitch of her hips as she reacted automatically to him. Her hands, once trying to push him away, were now curled into the sleeves of his jacket, holding on to him even though he was quite certain that she wasn't aware of her own actions.

Bel growled softly and started to dry hump her. The prince cared not that they were in a highly accessible area of the castle and could be seen by just about anyone passing by. No; she was so damned soft and warm and pressed right against him, and he was quite tempted to flip her skirt up, shove her panties aside, and just fuck her hard where they were standing. The highly charged, sexual experience that he had two nights ago with her was still fresh in his mind, and there was no doubt that he was looking quite forward to a repeat performance.

Haru tried her best to oppose the unrelenting force of nature that was Belphegor, but it was extremely difficult with the way he was overpowering her senses. She was overwhelmed, distracted, and unwillingly aroused by his rough, abrupt seduction of her, and she was simply too inexperienced to know how to stop him.

"Belphegor…" her voice was soft and unsteady and somewhere hidden within that quiet, breathless moan, her last flicker of resistance was dying a quick, painless death. Her heavily-lashed eyes were large and dark against her delicate, fine-boned features, her rosy lips slightly parted, the slightest kiss of rose tinting her cheeks.

Belphegor _smiled_, feral.

"Are you still sore?" he asked brusquely. Her eyes widened slightly as the implications of his question sank in, but before she could form a proper reply, he shook his head impatiently and continued. "Fuck that, it doesn't matter. You will just have to get used to it; I want you and I want you now."

There were no ifs, ands, or buts in his arrogant demand, and as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over her, she came abruptly back to her senses. Haru tried instinctively to pull away from Belphegor, scandalized by his intention.

He chuckled, easily holding her in place against him.

"You are not getting away, little sparrow," the shaggy-haired blonde purred darkly. "At least, not until I get what I want from you."

Haru promptly tried to hit him, and ended up an even awkward position less than a handful of seconds later. Her arms were pulled tight over her head, her wrists held pinned to the wall by his hand even as he used the other to hook her leg around his waist. Smiling faintly, he proceeded to settle himself most intimately between her thighs, and she yelped when his arousal nudged against her in an unmistakable hint of what was to come next.

"Belphegor, we are in the middle of a hallway!" she squeaked out in a strangled tone. "Stop this right now!"

He grinned.

"I don't care," he told her silkily, and he really didn't. "Besides, it's more fun this way, isn't it?"

Haru really didn't think so, and the look on her face said as much. She also didn't know how on earth her _entirely platonic_ relationship with Belphegor had ended up this way, and was torn between being perpetually mad at him and being helplessly attracted to him. The two feelings were so openly conflicted with one another that she was more often than not left confused and at odds with her emotions.

Haru squirmed helplessly against the more powerful male, and when he ground his hips against her to still her, the soft, lingering moan that she gave out made her face flame up with shame. In response, he radiated smug, masculine amusement, and those long, narrow fingers of his reached down between their bodies, slipping under her skirt and sliding sensuously against her dampened panties, playing with her, teasing.

Another quiet, throaty moan slipped from her lips and her hips bucked into his hand, her resistance shot. She was such a fiery, passionate little thing, and once he got past her inhibitions and modesty, she was all his. Soft and willing and so damned sexy like this, Belphegor had every intention of taking things much further with Haru when he was rudely interrupted from behind by an awkward cough.

The blonde reacted immediately, pulling abruptly away from the warm woman and turning sharply around to face the unfortunate perpetrator. His winged blade flew straight and true, and the terrified messenger barely ducked in time to keep from being impaled in the eye.

"What is it? This had better be important," Bel barked out harshly, not amused in the least at being disrupted from what would have been a heated, steamy session with his pretty charge. Behind him, Haru leaned shakily against the wall for support as she hurriedly straightened her clothes and smoothed down her skirt. Her face probably couldn't get any redder, and Haru could not believe that she had nearly had sex with Bel.

Again.

And this time around, she sure as certain wasn't drunk.

"Pr-Prince B- Belphegor," the lower ranked Varia soldier stuttered, thoroughly intimidated by the murderous aura that the Storm Unit Commander was projecting. The Prince was pissed off alright, and everyone in the castle knew that an angry Bel was a dangerous Bel, at least, even more dangerous than he usually was. "Y- your team is needed for an emergency assignment and Xanxus-sama expects you to report in ASAP."

The volatile blonde growled in reaction to the message, well aware that an appointment with Xanxus was an engagement that he could not postpone, and the other man hastily backed up a step. Meanwhile, Haru started to edge silently away from this entirely embarrassing situation, hoping to beat a speedy, unnoticed retreat, only for Bel to lash out unexpectedly and manacle his fingers around her wrist, keeping her firmly beside him. She eep-ed, and then glared at him.

"Let go of me," she muttered under her breath in a highly disgruntled fashion, not wishing to kick up a fuss before the unknown foot soldier. She turned her gaze away from the blonde and most determinedly tried to ignore him but with little success. Bel proceeded to ignore the messenger and instead fixed his entire attention on her. He grinned insanely.

"Saved in the nick of time, aren't you?"

Haru lifted her eyes to him again and gave him a good frown. Her hair was mussed, her pouty lips kiss swollen, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to derive that she had just been well and thoroughly ravaged. Belphegor smirked in satisfaction at her flustered expression and drew her to him. She resisted by mulishly digging in her heels but was dragged to him all the same.

She stiffened against him when he dropped an arm casually, possessively, around her waist, lowered his head, and kissed the side of her neck. She made a soft noise of protest in her throat, clearly uncomfortable, and his lips stretched into a savage grin against her soft skin. Ever so slightly, he angled his head and casually took hold of her earlobe in between his teeth, nipping on the sensitive flesh. She quivered lightly in reaction, and beyond the unlikely couple, the forgotten messenger gawked like a halfwit at the playful attraction the infamous sadistic Prince was displaying towards his charge.

"This is only a mere stay of execution for you, you know that, right?" His husky whisper against her ear only made her shivers more pronounced. "I will be back soon."

The shaggy, golden-haired Storm Unit Commander licked the curve of her jaw and drew back, making sure to meet Haru's gaze in meaningful promise. She could only stare at him, speechless and wide-eyed. He grinned and turned away, sauntering off with 'arrogance' screaming from the very pores of his skin. He paused before the gaping foot soldier though, and sneered dangerously.

"Well? What are _you_ looking at?"

The messenger quickly tore his eyes from the Prince's woman and all but glued his gaze to the ground. "N-nothing, Your Highness!! Please follow me!"

The man proceeded to crabwalk comically past the homicidal royal and all but scrambled down the hallway for dear life, much to the latter's vast amusement. Bel tipped his head to regard Haru one last time.

"I expect you to be waiting in the bedroom when I return, my little sparrow," he called out, his voice silky, tinted with rich expectation. Haru snapped out of her daze and glared sharply at him.

"Go to hell, Belphegor!" she snapped back irritably, and his response was a long, low chuckle. He strolled down the long hall, following after the harried messenger at his own pace and Haru watched him warily until he disappeared completely from sight.

Then, she sank down to the ground, her legs weak and rubbery and suddenly unable to support her weight. Uncertainty and unwilling attraction pulled at Haru. She shook her head fiercely and covered her face with her palms, a quiet whimper of distress escaping her throat.

Oh god, how on earth was she supposed to resist him when he was being persistent like that?

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, I'd like to make it clear that Belphegor is not in love with Haru. Not yet, at least. He lusts after her, but beyond that, his interest in her is still quite physical. Rest assured that will change eventually, but for now, I'm only trying to establish their sexual relationship first as they haven't really known each other long enough for anything stronger to develop.

On the other end of the spectrum, Haru isn't exactly thrilled with her own attraction towards Belphegor and is clearly trying her best to resist it. She's not succeeding very well whenever Bel's determined to have his way, but then again, she's also no wilting wallflower who will just allow him to do whatever he pleases with her without putting up a fight.

Well, we will see how that goes, eh?

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Like my previous warnings, the next few chapters will be a bit smutty, so be prepared!!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 3754

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/12/09

**

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**

Chapter Ten

* * *

"Bel is coming back tonight. The Storm Unit reported success in their mission. Most of the remaining allies of the Millefiore Famiglia in the North have either been neutralized or completely annihilated. Maa maa, this is such good news!!" Lussuria sang out cheerfully, clasping his hands together by the side of his face and looking earnestly happy as they all gathered in the dining room that morning for breakfast.

The flamboyant man's enthusiastic announcement was met with a myriad of lukewarm responses, much to his disappointment.

Levi grunted something unintelligible, Fran was as apathetic as ever, and Squalo just looked even more zoned out than usual. His Rain Unit had returned late last night and no one was quite sure what he was doing up so early. Nobody wanted to ask, either.

Haru swallowed her tea the wrong way and choked. Nowadays, the mere mention of the dratted man could easily make her blanch with alarm. Unfortunately for her, Lussuria and the rest of Varia seemed to have a mistaken impression of her relationship with the Prince. That disastrous party a few weeks ago had been the prelude to the cause of Haru's largest headache. The celebrations of Varia's four hundred and tenth anniversary of existence had ended with a certain blonde-haired executive of the Varia assassination team in her bed the next morning, and it had been pretty clear they hadn't been just 'sleeping.'

Much to Haru's dismay, the entire team seemed to be more or less aware of the shift in dynamics between the two on that horrible morning, and it had taken her a good part of the week to convince the cooing Lussuria that there was no such thing going on between herself and Belphegor.

Unfortunately for her, that dumb blonde had to make her work harder by harassing her sexually just a few days after that incident, that irritatingly infernal smirk on his face as he cornered her in a hallway that was particularly busy with human traffic. He had proceeded to place them both in such a compromising position that more than a handful of the lower ranked Varia soldiers had witnessed the scene and promptly spread the rumors around, adding fat to the fire.

And then, he had 'graciously' left for an extended assignment with his Storm Unit, leaving her behind to deal with the resulting fallout, much to her embarrassment and anger. She just knew that this was his way of taking revenge for that blackmail incident a month back, that sadistic bastard.

"Oh, Haru-chan! You must be so happy and relieved now that Bel is coming back!"

Haru put down her tea and managed a weak smile in response. In truth, she was about as happy as a prison inmate on death roll. She really wished that Lussuria would stop saying such things, especially when the rest of the Varia were present as well. It was bad enough that everyone around her seemed to think that she had a 'special' relationship with the blonde prince, something that was anything but true. Haru still had trouble believing that she had given up her virginity to that deviant crackpot, of all people, and just wait until she got hold of Belphegor! She was definitely going to make him clear the air regarding this ridiculous situation, even if she had to wave about those embarrassing photos to get him to do something about it!!!

But first, she had some important security details to take care of.

Haru looked over to Fran. The young man had been put in charge of being her guide and key to the dungeon for the past two weeks in light of Belphegor's absence, and unlike the blonde, the turquoise-haired, teal-eyed Varia was a polite and quiet individual. Haru had been surprised to learn that he was actually a lot older than he looked; in fact, he was around her age and not a teenager like she had assumed at the beginning. He was also deadpan and apathetic to the point where it was almost annoying, but after a month or so of Belphegor's abrasive and edgy conduct, Haru was more than happy for a change in company, not to mention the other awkward matter of that one night stand she was trying so hard to pretend did not happen. Thankfully enough, Fran was so unconcerned about the whole thing that she felt a lot less stressed out when working with him.

The Mist Varia was intelligent and helpful; he was willing to aid in testing out the various new security implementations of the archive vaults and then suggest useful alterations to increase the power of the automatic defense mechanism she was in the process of building. Although they weren't exactly the bestest buds, Haru could safely say they were no longer complete strangers.

"Ah, Fran-san, can I ask you to help me with something later on?" she asked, swiftly changing the subject.

The teal-eyed male turned to her, the expression on his face blank and unchanging. "What can I do for you, Haru-san?" he enquired, his command of the Japanese language formal and precise, though his indifferent tone was somewhat lacking. Haru was used to his manner of speech however. She looked gratefully at him.

"Well, you could say that I need to do some redecorating in my suite."

* * *

She had barricaded her door tightly shut, and with the help of his idiot kohai, even went so far as to prop furniture against the doorknob to deter him from entering.

It was certainly not the sort of welcome he was looking forward to, but it did make things a bit interesting. She wasn't the usual type of woman he typically went for, that was for sure. She was more stubborn, determined to resist him even when he had already bedded her. Other women in her position would have gladly rolled onto their backs to receive him, but it figured she would do the exact opposite. Of course, that only made him more determined to get into her pants—again. It never even occurred to him to ponder the reason why he was so fixated on this woman; there was simply nothing to think about. He considered her his property now, in a manner of speaking, and not only that, she was also conveniently available. She did not bore him and the sex with her was fantastic, so why not?

Most importantly of all, she had no expectations of him whatsoever. She made no demands or attachments to him, unlike the other women he had been with. Belphegor smirked. If anything, she probably wanted nothing to do with him at all. It was just too bad for her that he was unlikely to ignore her at this time.

It took but mere moments for him to scale the castle walls and enter her bedroom through the window; she was careless like most civilians were and failed to consider that she was dealing with a well trained assassin, and he actually anticipated the look on her face when she realized that her attempts at keeping him out of her bedroom had been easily and completely foiled.

The golden-haired prince with the deceptively angelic appearance grinned wickedly as he moved soundlessly towards his prize. Under the quicksilver beam of moonlight that filtered through the large, open windows, he was able to see her quite clearly. She was lying sprawled on her back right in the center of the large bed, utterly defenseless, her face turned slightly to the side, an arm folded at an awkward angle, her palm turned up vulnerably. As usual, she was dressed in a completely childish nightgown, this time splattered with prints of cheerful yellow ducklings. Her duvet was flung carelessly to the edge of the bed, the hem of her innocent-looking pajamas bunching up around the tops of her thighs, exposing her slender, lithe legs and the delicate, feminine arch of her calves and ankles.

She looked rather pretty and peaceful in slumber, but unfortunately for her, he had no qualm whatsoever disturbing her repose. It only took a brief moment for him to shed his clothes. The unzipped leather jacket with the fierce Vongola crest emblazoned fiercely over it was shrugged off easily, and the crimson shirt with the black horizontal stripes followed, the articles of clothing falling carelessly to the floor in a quiet heap. Tall combat boots that covered a good portion of his long legs were shed and kicked aside easily, and last but not least, he also took off the tight black pants that rode low on his lean hips.

The violent, blade-wielding prince was a golden Adonis under the gentle streams of moonlight. He was wiry in build but his body was sleekly muscled and well defined from his dangerous profession. His shoulders were broad enough to distinguish his gender from that of the opposite sex, his torso toned and limber. There was something entirely catlike and sinuous about him that showed in his very mannerism and movements, and his underlying sensuality was something that he never hesitated to make full use of when it came to getting what he wanted.

And at the moment, he fully intended to have Haru.

Bel chuckled quietly with anticipation as he slid silently under the bed covers, instinctively searching out the welcoming warmth of his reluctant lover. Autumn was nearing its end and winter was quickly approaching; she would make him an excellent bed warmer, amongst other things. She came within his grasp with little resistance, unconscious to his intent in all meanings of the word.

His hands started to rove against her willowy body even as he aligned himself intimately against her, legs tangled together, the not so subtle movements forcing the hem of her sleeping gown to ride even higher up her hips. With growing lust, he appreciated the way she was built so differently from him and made no secret of enjoying the feel of her body under him; she was all soft curves and gentle, sweet scent. She slept on, completely oblivious to his presence, and he wondered idly just what it would take for her to wake up and realize the situation at hand.

His arousal spiked at the rather intriguing notion.

Perhaps, a small…experimentation was in order.

* * *

Haru woke up surrounded by breathless heat, flushed and panting and moaning helplessly as she was pinned to the bed by an unknown weight. Pleasure and lust flowed through her entire being as she struggled groggily between the blurred line that separated dream from reality, the sensitive region between her thighs throbbing with unfulfilled desire as she moved restlessly against the hard body pressing down on her.

A quiet, lingering sigh escaped her lips as a hot mouth ran against the side of her neck, warm, nimble hands caressing her fevered skin, touching her in places she would have objected vehemently to had she been wide awake. Dazed and languid, Haru opened her eyes slowly only for her night vision to be filled with nothing but pale shades of burnished gold. Confused, her hands came up instinctively to brush through the soft, shaggy strands gently and wonderingly, and the answering, appreciative, purr that reverberated from the aroused male on top of her startled her into wakefulness.

"Uhhhhm…Bel…?" Her voice was husky, befuddled. Haru was obviously not registering the entire situation just yet.

The blonde prince did not reply. Instead, his arm snaked around her slender waist to fit her even tighter to his naked form, his erection prodding pointedly against the insides of her parted thighs even as his fingers played against that sweet junction between her legs.

She let out a wondering, hitched moan, her flanks bucking and sheathing his long, narrow fingers within herself, her tight and slick inner muscles clamping down on those damp digits.

She was completely wet, and more than ready for him. He pulled his drenched fingers out of her and crawled up her smaller, equally nude form, unceremoniously pressing the tip of his arousal into her soft, hot core. He slid into her in one smooth thrust, growling softly as he held her firmly under him, narrow hips arching into hers, forcing her to open her legs wider as he crowded between them.

Haru came fully awake at the sensation.

"_Belphegor_!!" she gasped sharply, her hands flying up to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin even as she moved against him instinctively, reluctantly welcoming the sinful slide of his body against hers. She was trying to resist him though, trying to push him bodily away when it was clearly impossible—they were joined so intimately together and he was certainly not budging until he got what he wanted from her.

"Aa-aaah, no, stop, Bel-!!"

Predictably, she was ignored. The blonde prince grunted and drew back out of her before sinking roughly back in again, burying himself into her snug channel and drawing another strangled moan from her, a telltale smirk on his lips even as his eyes were, as usual, shadowed by his long fringe. Haru shook under him, her feelings and physical desires at complete odds with each other. The way he was touching her body made her come alive in a way no one had ever done before, but this was wrong. It was not right that he was using her like this, coming to her whenever he wished, cockily taking possession of her body as if she belonged to him, using her to slake his lust.

Haru didn't want this, but enveloped under this thin, wirily-muscled man, his hard, sweat-slicked body covering hers, those nimble hands running over her quivering torso, driving her wild with expert finesse, the brunette just could not bring herself to pull away from his addictive touch. She was a passionate woman, and he knew just what to do to turn her into putty under his seductive hands. Her relationship with him wasn't exactly consensual, but it was far from rape and he made sure that she realized it from the very beginning.

With a helpless whimper, Haru wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close, not even fighting him past the initial bout of denial. Later, when she was a lot more lucid and less…distracted, things would change, but for now, her priorities were completely skewered by this golden-haired male currently resting between her thighs.

"Wrap your legs around me," he demanded, and when she was too slow to follow his order, he hooked his hand behind her knee and jerked her leg up, quickly doing the same with her other limb and unceremoniously pulling her even lower under him, locking her lithe legs around his narrow waist, in the process opening her up further and allowing him to seat even deeper within her. She gave a startled mewl, one that quickly grew in volume to become a full blown, throaty moan when he ground his hips sharply into hers, pulling back swiftly only to repeat the action again and again in hard, powerful thrusts that drove her further back onto the bedspread.

"Do that again," Belphegor rasped huskily into her ear as he sank into her once more.

"Do what-" her question ended in a breathy intake of air as he angled his hips and circled tightly against her, her eyes going vague with lust as she instinctively arched against him, a soft, sweet moan escaping her full, parted lips.

He smirked. She wasn't much of a screamer in bed, and he appreciated how she hadn't tried to shriek his ears off at the height of sexual ecstasy. Instead, he rather liked her gentle, sexy vocalizations as he plundered her willing body, urging him to wring more of those helpless sounds from her. She was such a bossy, exasperatingly opinionated woman at times, one who was admittedly smart and not easy to fool, and thus it pleased him for her to be submissive and utterly at his mercy when he was fucking her.

Haru could only hold on to Belphegor for dear life as he continued to move insistently between her thighs, increasing the pleasurable friction between them and rapidly building up the pressure that knotted unbearably in her lower belly, until at last it got so very intense that she could no longer bear it any further and came under him. She dug her nails hard into the back of his shoulders and pressed her face against his chest, his name on her lips as she stiffened and clasped firmly onto him, her slick, tight inner walls convulsing uncontrollably around his rigid length as she came hard.

He grunted at the exquisite sensation of her climaxing body, the strong, persistent spasms of her snug channel along his erection quickly coaxing him to his own completion. He was sheathed completely in her as he came, coating her welcoming womb with his essence as he shuddered rigidly above her, panting harshly as he collapsed onto her soft body, face pushed into the side of her neck, an entirely smug air of masculine satisfaction gathering around him as he smiled his usual smile against her skin.

It took Haru awhile to get her breath back, though when she finally managed to do so, the first thing she did was shove irritably at him, morally offended by what had just transpired between them.

Again.

"Get off me!"

He was still firmly embedded within her, and not surprisingly, he did the exact opposite of her miffed demand, settling down between her legs, creating slow, deliberate movements with his hips that made her eyes glaze over.

"No. I think I like it here," he remarked casually, almost as if they had been discussing the weather all along.

She tried to hit him then, but unfortunately, she failed. Pinned onto the bed by him, there really wasn't much she could do. For a deceptively slender-looking man, he was surprisingly heavy and he used his weight to his greatest advantage.

"Get off me or I'm going to scream," she threatened furiously.

Belphegor wasn't even fazed.

"Will you really?" he asked with mild interest, now languid and relaxed, indulgently amused by her frustrated bluster. "I wonder how the rest will react if they burst through the door now and see us like this."

Haru stiffened, and in reaction, Belphegor felt his lips curl up into a wider smirk. He chuckled softly, and without another word, slid thin, strong arms under her waist to pull her even closer against him, and at the same time, ducking his head and running his mouth against the side of her neck. She quickly went rigid with alarm, a murmur of unhappiness on her lips, but eventually relaxed cautiously when he did nothing else. Of course, he was already where he fully intended to be, and when she felt him _start to stir _within her, she tried to push him away.

"No…!" she protested weakly. "I don't want- I'm not that kind of woman!"

"Yes, I know," he replied candidly against her silky skin. "That only makes it all the more exciting when I fuck you."

He was being needlessly crude, and it only served to drive home the point that he had no interest in her other than the physical pleasure that he could gain from her body. He was making it pretty damn clear that he was looking for nothing else, and of course, that hardly made her feel any better.

"I don't want this," she repeated shakily, distracted by the way he was running his hands all over her body.

"Funny, I didn't hear you protesting earlier," he retorted smoothly, blatantly ignoring the way she was trying to pull away from him. Before she could reorient herself, he slid out of her, eased his weight onto his knees, and abruptly flipped her onto her belly, startling a sharp yelp out of her.

She didn't even have time to catch her breath when her golden-haired lover straddled her hips from behind and stretched over her back, effectively holding her down to the mattress. He ground his erection against her soft bottom, and she moaned automatically with anticipation, her hands fisting amongst the bed sheets.

Belphegor grinned savagely at her sensual reaction. "You are learning quickly," he commented, his breath warm against the sensitive shell of her ear. She shuddered, and he rubbed himself against her slender form suggestively, teasingly. She was trying so hard not to react to him and failing so miserably that he had to smile at her helpless effort. He wondered when she would realize that she was only turning him on with her continuous resistance.

"You won't be getting any sleep tonight, my little sparrow," he purred silkily into her ear, his voice rich with promise. "I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk."

* * *

When Haru woke up late the next morning, naked and sore and exhausted from an entire evening of debauchery and relentless sexual activity, the culprit responsible for her sorry state of condition was conspicuously nowhere in sight.

However, resting innocuously on the nightstand on the other side of the bed was a large, extravagant-looking jewelry box embossed with what looked like a royal crest of some sort, and when the pretty brunette cautiously opened the box made from the finest velvet, she was stunned to see the magnificent choker necklace that laid glittering amongst its silken nest. It was inlaid with rows upon rows of perfectly even, spherical pearls that shimmered iridescent under the morning light, and even then, those priceless pearls only served to draw attention to the large droplet of dazzling ruby that dripped from the center of the undoubtedly invaluable piece of jewelry.

Haru could not help her reaction; she gawked for a good minute or so until she finally noticed the note that accompanied the ridiculously excessive trinket. Handwritten in a sprawling, masculine hand, it was also unsigned, though if she had any doubts that it was from Belphegor, it was quickly cleared the moment she read the short content.

"_A token of appreciation for services rendered last night. I look forward to seeing you in nothing but that in the near future." _

Haru's reaction to his cocky statement was simple.

That night, when she finally saw him during dinner, Belphegor quickly found himself wearing that necklace on his royal head, courtesy of her surprisingly excellent aim.

That marked the beginning of a truly strange relationship between the prince and 'his' computer tech.

_

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_

::owari::

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

The development of Belphegor and Haru's physical relationship is an important factor that will contribute to how they will relate to each other later on as the fic progresses. So for those who do not like smut, do bear with it for awhile more until I get this portion established. This series is not going to be focused entirely on their sex lives, so don't worry!!

Nothing much to say this time around. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 2166

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/12/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Eleven

* * *

"Are you afraid of me now?"

He asked amusedly one day as he sat up on the bed, allowing the sheets to pool around his lean hips as he tilted his head towards her and regarded her with his usual unreadable expression.

Haru clutched the other end of the bed sheet to her chest as she, too, struggled to sit up, her hair mused, her lips rosy and kiss swollen. A tint of rose smudged her cheeks, the afterglow of sexual intercourse evident on her pretty features and bright eyes.

She glared at Belphegor, thoroughly unamused.

"I'm not afraid of you," she iterated strongly, and at the same time, started to look around the floor irritably, trying to find her clothes. This was not the first time something like that had happened and Haru never failed to get annoyed right after—she had been about to solve a complex algorithm before he came and disrupted her thought process. She wasn't even quite sure how they had made it into her bedroom from the dungeon vaults without being seen by anyone, but decided to leave that thought alone for now.

"Oh? Were we playing a game without my knowledge, then?" he enquired mildly, interest in his tone. "Hide and seek for foreplay, upon which I get to fuck the hell out of you when I find you?"

She colored at his vulgar tone, and at the same time, finally spotted her panties. The baby blue scrap of cotton was hanging from the bedpost on Bel's side, almost as if taunting her. She returned her attention to the blonde in question and scowled.

"Stop it," she retorted unhappily. "You know that I was avoiding you, so stop feigning ignorance already. It's not as if I actually managed to stop you from getting what you wanted," she mumbled.

He grinned indulgently. "It will take more than your feeble attempts to stop me from getting to you," he commented with smug arrogance, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Haru burst out with frustration. "You didn't like me from the very beginning, remember? If this is your way of making me miserable-"

"If I truly wanted to make you miserable, my sparrow, fucking you wouldn't be it." His tone was rich with lazy amusement once more. "You certainly weren't miserable when I was between your thighs, were you?"

She turned bright red this time, but gritted her teeth and refused to dignify his words with a response. He didn't need it anyway, well aware that he had made his point.

"You are just my newest plaything; it's nothing personal," he stated evenly. She gaped at him. Then, she started to grow angry again, hurt by his callous statement despite the fact that she wanted nothing from him in the first place. Her expressive eyes darkened, but surprisingly enough, the normally forthright female did not confront the idiotically insensitive man outright this time around.

Instead, she silently jerked the bed sheet from him and wrapped it around her lithe torso before stumbling out of bed wordlessly and hurrying into the bathroom, locking the door shut behind her with a quiet click.

Belphegor watched her go with an indifferent expression. It was evident that she wasn't happy with him at the moment, but he wasn't worried. She would get used to the idea soon enough. It wouldn't be hard to convince her, at any rate.

She was his property now; hell if he would let her go until he's good and ready.

* * *

Belphegor had half expected Haru to try to deny him in a fit of anger, but surprisingly enough, she didn't react the way he thought she would. Despite her earlier response, she made no attempts to resist him when he came to her again that night.

"Not going to fight me?" he asked curiously, voice tinted with amusement.

She stiffened and gritted her teeth, but otherwise refrained from trying to kick him off her bed. Her physical displays of violence towards him, feeble though they were, seemed to turn him on and never failed to end in sex, something she was trying avoid right now.

"Would you stop harassing me if I did?" she retorted unhappily in response.

He thought about it for a little while, just to patronize her. "You have a point," he commented at last, and it wasn't hard to detect his enjoyment in her misery.

"You don't run from a dog unless you want to be chased," she muttered bitterly.

He was anything but insulted by her not so subtle reference. If anything, he was quite entertained.

"Oh? So you intend to just lie there and take it?" His tone was silky, his insinuation unmistakable. He was also edging near her, so close that his leg brushed against hers, his hand lingering casually against the curve of her hip. She narrowed her eyes.

"That's not it," she snapped, fighting the childish urge to move away from him. "I'm not going to 'just lie there and take it,' like you have so nicely described. I'm walking into this on my own accord and I want to lay down some terms if we are going to do this."

"We are already doing this," he pointed out baldly. "I don't need to agree to any of your conditions to get to bed you."

Haru lifted her chin and stared him straight in the eyes.

"I won't fight you anymore," she promised.

He was unconvinced by her offer.

"I like it when you fight," he stated simply, and she had to struggle to keep at bay the furious blush that threatened to creep onto her cheeks.

"If that's all you are planning to offer, shall we move on to the main event of this evening…?"

His fingers were trailing teasingly along her slender waist by now, and he was leaning so near that just a bit more and his lips would be brushing against the side of her neck. Haru gulped and burst out desperately.

"I will do anything you want," she blurted out.

Belphegor paused at that, his interest now piqued.

"Hmm…anything?" he repeated softly, his head cocked slightly to the side as he regarded her through those long golden bangs of his.

Haru drew back slightly, not trusting that air of contemplative mischief that had suddenly appeared around him.

"Within reason," she added in hastily, but the damage was already done.

The prince withdrew from the pretty brunette. He smirked.

"You have my full attention," he announced, pulling away from her and instead settling comfortably against the headboard beside her. "What do you want?"

His precise tone made her feel uncomfortable, as if they were discussing a business proposition. Still, she forged on bravely.

"You can't interrupt me when I'm working," she told him firmly, quickly voicing one of her main concerns. "I absolutely do not wish to see you anywhere near me when I'm working in the dungeon vaults."

"Unacceptable," his reply was absolute. "I will come for you as and when I like it. Following timetables to fuck you is ridiculous. Is that how you Japanese deal with sex? No wonder your birthrates are so low."

Haru was immediately affronted by his dismissive tone. "Not everyone sees sex the way you do, you- you sexual deviant!" she accused. "And that's not even what I was talking about! I'm here to work for the Varia, not serve as your personal sex slave! You can't just come and go as you wish and expect me to be at your beck and call; I won't do it!"

"Sex slave, hm?" He was a bit too interested in that term for her to be completely comfortable about it, and she quickly lost some of her righteous fervor. "If you were really my sex slave, I would keep you collared and chained to the bedpost, don't you think?" Before she could sputter and turn bright red with embarrassment from walking right into his sly insinuation, he grinned and continued quite casually. "I think I'd like that. A compromise then, my pretty little sex slave; how about you do whatever I want you to do, no protests, no resistance offered, for every time I grant you a favor? That's quite reasonable, don't you agree?"

Haru scowled.

"You are just trying to take advantage of me," she accused.

He shrugged nonchalantly, not even bothering to disagree with her. "I'm not trying. I'm already taking advantage of you," he countered quite amusedly, causing her gasp of outrage. "I'm just feeling generous enough to offer you a bit of incentive for your good behavior so far. You can feel free to decline, and we will never speak of this matter again."

He spoke indulgently, almost as if she was a particularly endearing pet and he was just humoring her. Haru was not happy at all. She tried to bat his wandering hands away from her person and glared at the blonde.

"I won't have this," she snapped, quite irritated by the way he was trying to molest her—and succeeding.

"Well, I will," he replied quite calmly, catching her wrists easily and holding her still so that he could get near her. She yelped with protest when he pulled her nightgown off her, only to be abruptly silenced when the violent prince caught her mouth with his and engaged her in a wet, carnal kiss. He slanted his mouth against hers again and again, dominating her with his strength and body. He herded her back against the headboard swiftly, and got her so flustered and dazed with his deft hands and lips that her resistance was minimal.

Her lips were kiss-reddened when he drew back minutes later, her cheeks flushed, her large, honey brown eyes startled as she peered at him. Most frustratingly, his thoughts were his to keep as usual, his eyes well hidden behind that veil of burnished gold hair.

His lips twisted to form a sardonic smirk.

"Accept," he commanded silkily. He was kneeling between her legs, leaning over her, holding her wrists together over her head with a long-fingered hand.

She shook her head, and before she could even start to protest, his mouth was on hers again and he was kissing all the fight right out of her. "Accept," he repeated against her lips, his fingers caressing the sensitive skin of her neck suggestively, the pad of his thumb rubbing gently against her milky throat. She swallowed hard.

"This is your only chance to have some semblance of control over me, you know," he stated amusedly, even as, ironically enough, he was hovering over her in a blatantly dominating manner, his hand stroking her bared, vulnerable neck. She shuddered under him, looking at him warily through dense, fan-like lashes.

"I will do whatever you desire," he amended her earlier promise with a wicked smile, "for every reasonable incentive you provide. Fair enough, no?"

Haru knew better than to think so. Still, he was right. She wouldn't be exactly controlling him, but at least she had a fair chance of temporarily deterring him from his goal—her—if she had some form of bargaining power. Haru really couldn't believe that she was desperate enough to agree to something like this, but could not look him in the face when she quickly jerked her head sharply down once in agreement before she could think better of it.

Belphegor's toothy grin quickly made her wish that she could change her mind. _Just what on earth had she agreed to?!_

The handsome blonde prince eased his weight off the smaller female then, the smile on his face widening at her unspoken agreement. She looked a bit shell shocked still, but that was to his utter advantage.

"Good," Bel purred richly. "You should start fulfilling your first bargain then."

Haru immediately sputtered in protest.

"But I didn't-" The brunette yelped abruptly when Belphegor nudged her thighs apart and rested his hand possessively on that spot at the juncture of her legs. She whimpered quietly when he started to apply a firm, addictive pressure against the entrance to her sensitive core. His long fingers rubbed her through the cotton fabric of her panties, and he knew just what to do to make her succumb to him. Her hands flew down to wrap tightly against his wrist with the full intention to push him away, only to hesitate shamefully when the familiar stirrings of desire shot through her system.

"You like it when I touch you like that, don't you?"

His knowing tone made her turn red with embarrassment, and Haru was trying so hard not to look at him when he drew her attention back to him with his next sentence, his own silky voice rough with lust and excitement.

"Remember how I pleasure you now, little sparrow. Next time, you will be touching yourself with those long legs spread open and I will be watching you do it."

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Well, Belphegor's sort of a bastard right now, but he's only concerned with the here and now of their relationship and isn't exactly looking for anything beyond that. As mentioned several times before, that will change in the near future!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Those who do not like smut will be pleased to know that the next few chapters will have little to none M-rated material. You guys should be able to enjoy the chapters without having to skip sections of it!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 3087

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/12/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Twelve

* * *

"I knew it!" Haru muttered with great aggravation as she quickly scrambled backwards on her bed, her duvet wrapped protectively around her as she gave Belphegor an offended glare. "I just knew that you'd try something like this!"

The golden-haired man in question shrugged, sitting on the edge of the mattress like he had every right to do so. "Something like what?" he asked quite innocently, a smile on his handsome face.

Haru scowled.

"You are in my room in the middle of the night! Trying to get into my bed!!" she accused with great agitation.

"Well, of course," he replied quite naturally. "Since you declined my offer to move into my bedroom—"

"I'm not about to make it that easy for you!" she cut in fiercely.

"—I decided that I would save us both the trouble and come to you instead," he continued smoothly, as if she hadn't interrupted him at all.

"Save yourself the trouble, you mean!" Haru shot back in a highly annoyed fashion, though she kept her eyes glued warily on him the entire time.

This entire fiasco had started out innocently enough, or rather, there was nothing innocent about the insatiable way he lusted after her. He had wanted her 'installed' in his suite for more convenient accessibility to her, and not surprisingly, she, who had never even agreed to sharing his bed in the first place, had refused.

Emphatically.

He had shrugged indifferently, but by now, she had known better than to allow herself to be lulled to a false sense of security by his simple acceptance of her refusal. And sure enough, here he was in her bedroom now, making himself comfortably at home.

Belphegor chuckled silkily. "You are right. I can't very well leave you alone while knowing that you will be sleeping in this large, empty bed all by your lonesome, dressed in your seductive little nightie and just begging to be ravished, can I?"

Haru looked at him as if he was some alien life form that she had never seen before.

"Seductive…nightie?" she echoed faintly, momentarily bewildered. "I'm wearing a perfectly practical nightdress with little bunnies printed all over it! I'm not trying to be sexy, nor am I 'begging to be ravished!' Is there something wrong with your head?! Wait, don't bother to answer that; I know the answer already."

She sounded quite irritated, and quickly became more so when he gave her his reply.

"I can see very well what you are wearing. But they are all the same when I take them off you, hmm?"

Haru promptly turned bright red.

"Get out of my room!" she ordered fiercely. Not surprisingly, she was ignored.

Her golden-haired lover only stood up and started to shed his clothes. She gawked at him, and then grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. Unfortunately, he easily caught the flying projectile with one hand and continued to undress to his boxers. The crown on his head was next to go, tossed carelessly onto the side table before he got back onto the mattress and started to move towards her, and she scuttled backwards in alarm until her back hit the headboard.

"Belphegor," she exclaimed, flustered. The man had a build that was sleek and sinuous like a jungle cat and his slow, deliberate movements did nothing but highlight his graceful physique to her attentive eye. His smile widened at the distracted look on her face and when he pulled her down to lie on the bed, she only put up minimal resistance, knowing full well by now that nothing she said—or did—would matter when he was determined to get his way. She was not very happy about it all the same, and was stiff as he crawled up the length of her body and settled over her, pinning her down onto the bed with his weight and curling an arm around her waist in an overly intimate manner that never failed to disconcert her.

He pressed his face into the side of her neck, his mouth latching onto the sweet curve of her clavicle and he began to suck, and when she tilted her head to the side instinctively to grant him access, he grunted his approval and stroked her side in reward.

"Stop, Bel," Haru murmured faintly in discontent. "We did it today already…"

He had cornered her in the archive vaults sometime mid-morning, disrupting her from her work and bending her over a desk for a quick sexual romp. He had made sure she came at least three times before he finally let her go, and she had been so shaky and distracted after that she couldn't even concentrate on her duties, damn him.

The blonde removed his lips from her skin to look at her. Raising his head slightly, he smiled. "If it's with you, my sparrow," he purred huskily, "I can do it all day."

She colored at his lecherous tone, and his smile widened to a careless grin before he continued.

"Fortunately for you, that's not what I'm here for. Not at the moment, at least."

She gave him a suspicious look.

"Then what are you here for, pray tell?"

"Why, to sleep, of course," he replied quite innocently. "I can hardly be expected to sleep anywhere else if my bed warmer is situated over here."

Haru sputtered. "What?"

"Bed warmer," he seemed to exude indulgent patience with her. "You know, a person who warms the bed?"

"I know what a bed warmer is!" she snapped. "I'm not yours!!"

"Oh, but you are mine in every meaning of the word," he retorted slyly, calmly, in the face of her volatile mood. "Need I prove it to you once more?"

Haru glared.

"This is not part of our bargain," she muttered.

He shrugged again. "That may be so, but what can you do about it?"

She was rigid with frustration, and he chuckled slowly.

"Don't look so unhappy," he murmured richly against her ear. "You just might learn to enjoy my company."

Haru really didn't think so, but she kept quiet. It didn't really matter to Bel either way. The blonde yawned and then nuzzled the side of her neck, his taut, lanky frame relaxing over hers as lethargy beset him. When he gave no indication of moving any further, she prodded him.

"Hey," Haru called out incredulously. "Move over and sleep on the other side of the bed at least!"

"Mmmph…no," he mumbled against her skin, his arm around her middle tightening slightly when she attempted to wriggle out from under him. His long legs were tangled with hers, and when she whined with discontent, he latched his teeth lazily onto the sensitive skin of her throat. He wasn't hurting her, but the warning was there all the same. Haru stilled obediently.

"I can't sleep like this," she complained irritably, even as a small part of her wondered just when it was that she had become immune to his crazy antics. If he had tried doing this to her two months ago, she would have freaked out and fought him tooth and nail. As it was now, she merely resigned herself to her fate and gave in to him, well aware that he was unlikely to lash out with violence if she did not challenge him. Sure enough, he took his mouth off her eventually, and then gave her a sleepy lick.

Haru decided that the Prince Belphegor acted just like a dog sometimes, all territorial and possessive and perpetually…_horny_.

A disgruntled look crept onto her face as that thought, and pinned to the bed by him, there really was nothing much she could do anyway but to give in.

Haru sighed and willed herself to relax. She glanced at Belphegor from the edge of her peripheral vision and as usual, could only see nothing but burnished shades of his golden hair. He wasn't moving, though, his breathing deep and regular, and she could only guess from his usual sleeping patterns that he was already out like a light. The man could pass out instantaneously whenever and wherever he wished, which was exactly what had just happened.

Haru felt her eyebrow twitch at the ease in which he had fallen asleep _on her_ without a single care in the world, and glared at the inconsiderate man until at last, all the fight fizzled out of her and she gave up entirely. It wasn't long before her eyelids started to droop with exhaustion; she had quite a busy day earlier and it didn't take long before she started to nod off sleepily as well. It was already nearing the end of November and winter was setting in with a vengeance. Surprisingly enough, Belphegor was exuding so much pleasant, drowsy heat that she felt quite cosseted and _safe_ within the circle of his arms.

Haru was too tired to make sense of her own thoughts, and twisting her head to the side, she closed her eyes, wriggled into a comfortable spot on the large mattress and promptly went right to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, the unlikely couple overslept and missed breakfast.

Lussuria thought it strange when Haru wasn't present at the table, and when Bel's servants came running by in a tizzy proclaiming that they could not find His Highness in his suite, the flamboyant martial arts expert had a good guess just where the Storm Unit Commander could possibly be.

"Ah, young love," the colorful man had sung out quite happily, though the other Varia executives were either a) not amused or b) not paying attention.

Squalo scowled.

"That idiot! I told him to watch her, not get involved with her!" the silver-haired swordsman barked irritably. "If the Japanese side gets wind of this, we are never going to hear the end of it!"

Lussuria waved away the grumbles of the grumpy man. "Maa, maa, romance is in the air! I'm sure the Decimo and his Family will understand!!"

Fran looked up from his plate then, and thoughtfully provided his input.

"I don't think Bel-senpai is anyone's idea of a romantic person, let alone Miura-san's. She seems to be diligently trying to avoid his attention."

Squalo cussed up a storm. "This is fucking fantastic. If Miura Haru even vaguely hints of sexual harassment, he's going to handle the resulting fallout by himself. That fucking imbecile, of all the people to show an interest in, it just has to be the one who belongs to Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Lussuria fluttered his hands here and there, trying to soothe his fellow Commander's agitation. Squalo sure was high strung, nothing like his more sedate Rain Guardian counterpart, Yamamoto Takeshi. "Ahahaha, I'm sure it's nothing that serious, Squalo! Haru-chan has never given any indication that she's attached-"

"Not that Bel would care even if she was," Levi cut in.

"And I, for one, happen to think that Haru-chan will be good for Bel!" Lussuria continued cheerily. "See, don't you all agree that he is certainly a lot less destructive nowadays?"

"Well," Levi grumbled. "I would be a lot less aggressive too if I was getting some—ouch!!" The mustached man growled when the china teacup that Lussuria threw at him bounced off his head. Beside him, Fran reached out casually and snagged the expensive antique porcelain by its handle and returned it to the table.

"Nobody wants to hear about how you still can't get laid, idiot," the teal-eyed man retorted boredly, and Levi turned a dull red.

"What?! You brat-OW!"

This time, the saucer that bounced off the Thunder Unit Commander's forehead made a satisfying 'thunk' before Fran calmly caught it out of midair and set it together with the teacup. Levi glared, getting the point, and kept his mouth shut this time around.

"So I was saying," Lussuria beamed. "Don't you think they both look so cute together?"

Squalo looked a bit sick.

"I refuse to take part in this conversation anymore," the silver-haired man muttered. "And somebody go retrieve Bel and Haru right now—no, not you, Levi, sit down. You go, Lussuria. You are less likely to antagonize Bel, and we all know how he is in the mornings."

The other members of the Varia were only too polite to comment on the Rain Unit Commander's own hideously cantankerous attitude every dawn. Lussuria got to his feet enthusiastically and strode out of the dining hall, heading straight for Bel's wing of the huge castle.

When the martial arts expert reached the door to Haru-chan's rooms, he had to dismiss the small cluster of Bel's servants gathered anxiously there, kindly taking the time to assure the Prince's loyal staff that he had the situation in hand and they needn't risk their lives trying to enter Haru's bedroom and chance getting perforated by their irate master as a result. It was apparent that Bel's staff did not know what to make of his relationship with the pretty Japanese woman he had taken such an interest in, and none dared to ask, either. They were relieved at Lussuria's timely arrival and quickly dispersed to fulfill their individual duties, leaving the Sun Varia to knock loudly on the doors before throwing them wide open and dancing into the large room in his usual flamboyant manner.

"Yoohoo!! It's time to wake up, you two lovebirds!!!"

Lussuria had to duck and pirouette sharply to the side right after his cheery announcement to avoid getting impaled by a handful of Bel's blades, but still he forged ahead, singing about how bright and beautiful the morning was and how they were wasting it by not getting out of bed.

A tousled blonde head emerged from the small mountain of duvets heaped on the large bed then, and Belphegor glared venomously at his fellow Varia.

"Shut the fuck up, Lussuria," the younger man hissed, not at all amused by the former's exuberant antics.

"No can do, Bel!!" Lussuria stood in the middle of the room and crossed his arms, cocking his hip to a side and striking up a ridiculous pose. "You guys are missing breakfast!!"

Belphegor growled. It was cold as hell still and after years of living under the same roof with Lussuria, he still could not comprehend what it was about the mornings that the other man found so joyful about. An irritable glance at the antique clock sitting on the side table revealed that he had indeed overslept, and curled up beside him, wrapped in the warm and cozy comforters, Haru was still snuggled in bed, clearly fast asleep and quite content to remain so. Belphegor sat up and shook her roughly awake.

"Huh? Whazat-" Haru mumbled unintelligibly before opening her eyes slowly and waking up gradually. Her vision was immediately filled with an undressed Belphegor and her eyes widened quickly with alarm the moment she registered what she was seeing. The poor woman jerked up to a sitting position beside him and immediately tried to put distance between them both. Her frazzled expression was almost amusing if not for the fact that Bel was in no mood to be amused...at least not until he'd had his first cup of coffee.

"Oh, hello there, Haru-chan! I see you are up too!!"

Haru eep-ed softly in surprise at Lussuria's booming voice, and turned her head to stare at the Sun Unit Commander. Lussuria was smiling quite cheerfully and waving gaily at her. Haru did not know what to make of the older man's ardent greeting.

"You two really make such a cute couple! What is it that you Japanese always say? Ah, yes! _Honto ne kawaii desu_!!" the colorful man cooed. Haru sputtered, and since Belphegor really was no help in this particular situation, it was up to her to clear the air.

"W-wait, Lussuria! You are wrong!!"

"Well!! I will leave you two to wash up now! We are all waiting downstairs for you two, so don't take too long, eh?" There was no mistaking the suggestive lilt in Lussuria's tone, and Haru colored fiercely. Before she could explain to the Sun Varia that this was not what it looked like, Lussuria had pranced out of her room and shut the doors behind him, but not before crowing his congratulations to the 'new couple.'

Haru stared at the closed doors for a good minute or so, her shoulders slumped in defeat. At this rate, she wouldn't be surprised if the entire castle thought that she belonged to Bel by the end of the day.

Beside her, Bel fell back onto the mattress, apparently unconcerned. She stared at him, and when it seemed as though he had returned right back to sleep, she scowled and threw aside the duvets noisily, reluctantly crawling out of bed to start a new day, and by default, face the rumors that would no doubt be flying fast and furious over her head, if they weren't already.

Before she could get out completely though, Bel threw out a hand and caught her by the ankle. She yelped in surprise when he tugged her back to his side.

"Hey! Let go!"

The blonde didn't give her a verbal reply, merely wrapped his arm around her waist when he got her near enough and rolled her under him. Once again, she was pinned onto the bed by him, and without further ado, he nuzzled his way to her neck, almost as if to hide from the dazzling morning rays that were creeping into the room. Once properly situated, it wasn't long before his breathing evened out again, despite Haru's quiet protests and uncomfortable wriggling. Resigned, something told her that being treated like a life-sized pillow was going to be a norm for her from now on, and she eventually quit her struggles.

The pretty brunette was not fully awake enough to be properly cross at Belphegor's highhanded behavior, and instead, she yawned sleepily and closed her eyes. The bed was still warm, and left with nothing to do and not allowed to move , it was but a simple step for her to start to doze off as well.

Just for a few minutes, Haru reminded herself groggily, turning her head to the side and rubbing her cheek drowsily against the soft comforter, she would get up in a just a few minutes…

* * *

Half an hour later, the Storm Unit Commander and his charge/lover were still absent from the dining hall.

Squalo felt his eyebrow tick with agitation.

"Well? Where the hell are they?!!!"

_

* * *

_

::owari::

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And that explains the sleeping habits of Belphegor and Haru, I hope!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

To answer some of your questions, the Varia are more or less aware of the relationship between Belphegor and Haru. They just don't interfere because Haru has not been harmed in any way whatsoever, nor has this relationship affected Haru's main objectives in Italy—to beef up the security system of the Vongola's information servers. The individual members of the Varia don't really care what each other are doing in their private time as long as their main goals and responsibilities as a group are not compromised.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Also, for those who are curious, there won't be any unexpected/accidental surprises of the infant kind that will result from the couple's active sex lives. I know I have glossed over this part completely, but I assure you now that they are having protected sex. What kind of examples will I be setting elsewise?

…Besides, I think Haru would agree wholeheartedly with me (for now) that people like Belphegor really shouldn't be allowed to contribute to the gene pool, haha!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4268

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/12/09

**

* * *

**

Chapter Thirteen

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Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to go for a walk on the castle grounds, Haru admitted to herself sometime later, when she was hopelessly lost and crashing through the woods like a particularly ungainly bigfoot. She had been wandering aimlessly through what looked like a similar landscape of trees and more trees, and how was she to know that the Varia property was so unbelievably huge?

What was supposed to be a quick breather from work was slowly turning into a huge headache for the directionally-challenged Haru, and because she wasn't exactly girl scout material, the brunette had a vague idea that she was only getting herself even more lost, tramping ungracefully through the greenery like she was doing now. But she dared not stop; there was just something about dark, eerie forests that made the hairs on her nape stand up, and the fact that dusk looked to be approaching in a couple hours' time was not helping matters any. She kept getting the feeling that she was being watched, and that was incentive enough for her to keep moving, pronto, even though she hardly had any idea where she was going.

As much as she hated to admit it, now would be a good time for Belphegor to make his appearance. The blonde was always underfoot, and one way or another, would be hindering her work, but it just figured that the one time she needed his help, he was conspicuously absent. Haru did not doubt that Bel would find her though. Perhaps it was one of the many abilities of the Varia Assassination Team, but the man had a knack for searching her out no matter where she tried to hide from him, so she knew that he would locate her sooner or later.

Bel would probably not appreciate this unexpected romp in the forest though, and Haru grimaced at the thought. It was not as if she had deliberately gotten herself lost, but the golden-haired prince was unlikely to take her reasoning into consideration. No doubt he would be all sarcastic and sharp-tongued towards her for wasting his time, and then he would promptly get over his irritation by being perverted towards her. Again.

A disgruntled expression crept onto Haru's face. Perhaps it would be better if she could get out of this mess by herself. God only knew that Belphegor did not need any more reasons to molest her. As it was, he already had plenty of opportunities.

The gentle but unmistakable sound of trickling water floated up to Haru then, and she all but perked up with hope. Water meant stream, which meant river, and didn't the television often say to follow a water source when lost? Decision made, the brunette re-orientated herself and followed the quiet sound of gurgling water, and before long, was pleased to break out from the tree lines and to a large meadow. Beyond the field was a small brook of clear, flowing water that had attracted her attention in the first place, and relieved, Haru was about to cross over to it when she finally saw the large animal that was sprawled majestically between her and the creek.

Doe brown eyes widened. It was the largest feline she had ever seen, with a huge maned head and truly massive paws, a pelt of snowy white fur striped like a tiger's from its nose down to its long, graceful tail. Even from a distance, Haru could see that it was truly gigantic, stretching easily over three meters in length, sans tail. It also didn't take her long to reach the conclusion that this liger was most likely the special box animal of the Varia's Leader, Xanxus, and where the gigantic cat was, its intimidating owner was surely nearby.

Expectedly, the large, magnificent animal had detected her presence even before she entered the meadow, and was watching her uncertain form with steady blue eyes that were eerily human-like in nature. Haru was suddenly unsure of what to do next. The reclusive leader of the Vongola's independent Assassination Team did not seem to be in the immediate region, or if he was, then he must have hidden himself well from sight, for she did not detect any other life form in the meadow with the exception of herself and the liger.

Should she continue on past the liger, or should she turn back into the forests and try to find another way back to the castle?

The brunette looked warily between the calm, watchful feline and the dark, shadowy forests that she had just emerged from, and realized in dismay that there really wasn't much of a choice for her.

Haru decided to try her luck with the liger, not wishing to spend any more time amongst the dense trees if possible. Slowly, trying her best not to show her trepidation, Haru forged on forward with false bravado, well aware that if the huge beast ever decided that she would make a good late afternoon snack, she would most definitely stand no chance against the ferocious animal.

She skirted around the feline carefully, keeping a wide berth between it and herself, her eyes watching it warily as she hurried past the unmoving creature. She was about to reach a reasonably safe distance from the liger when it growled warningly at her and got to its feet. Haru froze immediately, alarmed by the large animal's movement, and it didn't help matters any when it started to prowl towards her.

Haru didn't quite remember what she should do when put in such a situation—was she supposed to run for dear life or play dead? How far would she make it if she tried to run? What if she tried to climb up the nearest tree to await help instead? Can ligers climb trees? Of god, its paws were even larger than dinner plates, Haru thought, almost hyperventilating as the feline approached her in an unhurried, steady pace, but because its strides were so wide, it didn't take long before it was slowly circling her rigid form like the natural-born predator that it was.

"N- nice liger," the young woman uttered nervously, eyeing the large animal warily. Those cat slit, sapphire blue eyes continued to watch her, and Haru slowly backed away from it. To her dismay, it stalked her step for step, herding her towards a particular direction and the poor brunette was getting so panicked that she didn't manage to see where she was going and promptly tripped over a protruding tree root.

Haru went down with a sharp yelp and an awkward flailing of limbs, falling back first onto the ground and squeezing her eyes shut with dismay. Despite the shock of the sudden fall, her hands quickly shot out in vain to keep the liger at bay.

"Please don't eat me! I have no meat on my bones and I assure you that I won't taste good!" the brunette yelled out in a rush. Haru didn't dare to open her eyes. This was the end, she was sure of it. They were going to have to deliver her back to Japan in bits and pieces because she was about to meet an inglorious death via Vongola box animal kibble. Tsuna was going to be quite dismayed for sure, the distracted brunette thought morosely, though Belphegor was more likely to jump for joy at being relieved from his babysitting duties.

It took her a few seconds or so to realize that she was still alive and not being attacked by a bloodthirsty, (wo)man eating liger, and surprisingly enough, Haru sensed no movement from the gigantic feline either. At last, unable to bear the anticipation anymore, she cracked open an eye cautiously to see if perhaps the animal had lost interest in her, and was immediately treated to a close-up view of the beast's terrifyingly huge fangs and that large cavern that was its mouth. Hot liger breath rushed out to envelop her face, and the poor woman nearly fainted from the intensity of it all.

Haru almost wished she could just fall unconscious and not be made to go through the agony of being eaten alive, but before she could do something drastic like beat herself comatose with a nearby rock, the ferocious looking beast rumbled deep from its wide chest and _then proceeded to lick her on the face_.

Haru's eyes widened with pure shock. Here she was, hopelessly lost and lying flat on the ground in the middle of nowhere with a huge liger standing over her and she was about to be _licked_ to death??

"H-hey!!" the brunette protested when the beast proceeded to lave her face with its large, rough tongue, and when she tried to wriggle out from under the feline, protesting the entire way, the animal merely placed one of its huge forepaws firmly on her chest, holding her in place as it continued to nuzzle and rub its large face against hers like a cat high on catnip. It was when the liger began to brush its dangerously sharp fangs against her cheek that she sputtered and tried to smack it away, and the offended animal jerked back in surprise when she managed to whack it square on its nose.

It was an all too familiar situation for Haru—Giannini's cat Zenzero-kun had the same tendency of trying to sharpen those tiny little kitty fangs on her hands whenever it could get away with it, and Haru never failed to flick it on the nose in reprimand.

Therefore, it came naturally for Haru to start scolding the astonished looking feline, though the box animal was certainly a lot larger than the tubby little ginger tomcat that she was used to. "No biting! Bad kitty!!"

She scrambled hurriedly to a sitting position and was about to get a safe distance away from the animal when the apparently displeased beast growled. Not about to be intimidated, she scowled fiercely and growled right back at it, and the white liger responded by lifting one of its large forepaws and batting at her with it. The little 'love tap' packed enough force to bow her over, and squawking in surprise, Haru was pushed back to the ground again.

The brunette was about to resign herself to her fate of being the feline's play toy when a deep, masculine voice rang out from somewhere above them.

"Bester."

The liger recognized the command in its name and backed away from the young woman, its interest in her completely lost as it focused its full, unwavering attention on its master. Still lying flat on her back, Haru looked way up past the thick trunk of the lone cypress in the middle of the large field, and there, lounging on one of its sturdy, sheltering branches, was the leader of Varia, Xanxus.

The Sky Flame user was leaning casually against the trunk of the huge tree, long legs stretched out ahead of him and looking as if he had just woken up from a nap. His Varia jacket was draped over his broad shoulders and his knotted tie hung loosely around the collar of his white dress shirt, and he had been so still up amongst the tree branches that it was no wonder that Haru had failed to detect his presence.

The reclusive Varia was watching her inscrutably, and once Haru got over her shock at the man's presence, she rolled quickly to her feet, her face flaring up with embarrassment. While she had been on the ground screeching at his box animal like a crazed banshee, he had no doubt been watching the entire while.

"Xanxus-san!" she called up, flustered. Not sure of what to say next, Haru bowed hurriedly and could only hope that he wouldn't take offence with her for yelling at his animal counterpart. Haru could count with one hand the number of times she had seen this man during her stay in Italy so far and still have three fingers left over, so it was quite safe to say that she really had no idea what to make of his character. Tsuna had always spoken highly of his Sky Flame counterpart though, even if the Decimo's Family and the Varia Assassination Team tended to run in different circles.

A soft, nearly inaudible sound in front of her heralded Xanxus' graceful landing from the tree, and when he straightened from his crouch, the dark-haired man positively towered over her petite form. From such a close range, Haru could see the large scar that took prominence on the left side of his fiercely proud, aristocratic face, and when she realized that she was gawking, the embarrassed woman quickly turned her gaze away.

"Miura Haru." His voice was low and commanding, and she raised her eyes to meet his, surprised that he knew her name. "What are you doing here?"

Haru looked chagrinned. "I, uh, got lost while taking a walk," she admitted. "I'm sorry, Xanxus-san; I didn't mean to intrude."

For a brief moment, the man said nothing, and only looked at her with that flat, unreadable expression on his face. Haru was beginning to get seriously nervous when he turned and walked away.

The bewildered woman blinked owlishly at his back, not sure what to do. Then she was nudged forward by Bester, who had apparently been standing behind her all this while. The liger had to head butt her in the behind one more time before she got the notion to follow after its master, and she quickly hurried after his retreating form.

Haru made sure to keep a respectful distance from the intimidating man even though he did not seem to object to her tagging along. They reentered the forests, much to Haru's discomfort, and the silence felt heavy and awkward to her even with the huge liger walking beside her.

Once again, Haru wondered just why she always seemed to get into this sort of trouble, and before she could contemplate her sorry circumstances, Belphegor dropped seemingly from out of nowhere before her.

Haru nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Belphegor!!" she yelled out in surprise. "Don't do that!"

The blonde ignored her outburst, and he also wasn't smiling.

"What are you doing here, you little idiot?" he asked quite irritably. "I had to spend two hours searching for your haphazard trail!"

Haru puffed up with anger.

"I got lost while I was taking a walk! And don't yell at me!" she growled back just as crossly, taking a step towards the crowned Prince and scowling at him. Mink, who had been perched on Bel the entire while, took the opportunity to leap over to Haru's shoulder, thereby distracting her from her displeasure towards its owner. Almost immediately, the fire in Haru's eyes softened as the box animal wrapped its beautiful, flaring, crimson tail around her neck and chittered at her, rubbing its cheek against hers. Belphegor frowned subtly at the affection that his box animal was showing to her, but otherwise refrained from commenting.

Beside them, Bester rumbled, reminding them of its presence and that of its master. The Storm Varia turned to his leader.

"Xanxus."

The tall man who stood a ways from the couple did not seem to acknowledge the greeting. Now that the brunette was reunited with her guardian, he merely turned and continued on his way, presumably returning to the castle. His white liger followed after him after a moment's pause, brushing the length of its large body against Haru and flicking its tail at her before it ambled off in the direction that Xanxus went.

Bel returned his attention to Haru only to see that she was still looking curiously at where Xanxus has disappeared to. At last, she sensed his regard and gave him a small frown.

"What?"

He smiled sharply at her.

"You seem quite interested in Xanxus," he commented in a sarcastic tone, and she stared at him with incomprehension.

"Well, of course," she replied matter-of-factly at last. "Xanxus-san was about to guide me back to the castle, and I haven't had the opportunity to interact with him before. He is very…charismatic, though." She was slowly stroking Mink's rich fur as she mused thoughtfully on the mysterious man who led the Varia, and Bel stiffened.

"Well, unfortunately for you, I'm the only one who gets to fuck you," the blonde spat out quite rudely, and Haru stared at him, nonplussed.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked dangerously even as his hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist, jerking her towards him. She glared at him. "You are what's wrong."

Haru really wasn't in the mood to play his little games. She was tired from her unexpected trek in the woods and wanted nothing more than to go back to the castle.

"Let me go," she muttered. It seemed as though she was always asking him to stop manhandling her whenever they were together.

And as usual, he was always ignoring her demand whenever she made it.

"Bel-" she started, only to be cut off before she could say anything more than his name.

"Kiss me," he told her abruptly, and when she stared at him like he was being insane as usual. He grinned edgily and continued. "If you kiss me of your own accord, I will release you. How about it?"

He had always been the one to initiate any physical contact between them, not her, and so she wondered what he was up to this time around.

"You will let me return to the castle right after?" she asked.

He nodded, his fingers coming up to stroke her cheek before dropping away again. "If you do it right," he promised silkily.

Haru licked her dry lips slowly and considered his offer. His intentions remained unclear to her, not to mention this strange mood that he was in right now. He had been snappy and irritable just mere moments ago, but now, his demeanor had changed again. Really, he should have been born a woman, Haru thought exasperatedly. Surely she wouldn't be facing so many problems if he had been female, but alas, he was not.

The man in question was watching her intently, waiting for her next move, his thoughts hidden as usual behind that shaggy hair that covered a good portion of his face. Perhaps it was partly due to the fact that she was already desensitized by his many little odd demands, but the once overwhelming urge to deny him out of sheer principle alone was no longer strong for her. So at last, Haru stepped towards him grudgingly, closed her eyes, tiptoed, and touched her mouth to his.

He was at least a head taller than she was, and it felt natural for her to lift her arms and lock them around his neck to keep her balance. He did not push her away, and for a brief moment, merely stood perfectly still as she pressed the relatively innocent kiss to his lips.

She had been kissed by him enough times to know what he liked; her soft, pink tongue darted out to lick sweetly at the seam of his mouth, her fingers stroking his hair with exquisite gentleness, her small, even teeth nibbling on his lips, and it didn't take long for him to respond. With a small growl, his hands went straight to her hips, pulling her flush against him and holding her there, his hot mouth covering hers as he promptly took control of the kiss. Whereas she was almost shy and modest, he was forceful and almost rough, his kisses wet and carnal and passionate, almost as if he wanted nothing more than to devour her whole.

Haru tightened her hold around his neck and tried to keep up with him as best as she could, a quiet keen escaping her when he took blatant possession of her mouth, his tongue sliding sensually against hers again and again, igniting a slow fire in her belly. He slanted his mouth against hers urgently, sucking and licking and biting, his arms circling her hips as he easily dragged her up against his hard, lean form and it was all Haru could do to keep from arching instinctively into him. He could be so impossibly persuasive with his hands and mouth and body, and Haru had to forcibly keep a lid on her common sense to prevent herself from being swept away by his destructive passion.

The golden-haired Storm Varia was minutes away from herding his lover against the trunk of the nearest tree and having his wicked way with her when she came to her senses abruptly and jerked away from his addictive kisses. She leaned back to avoid him but he merely followed after her, all but bending her backwards to get at her soft, rosy lips. Protesting, she turned her face to the side at the very last moment and his lips brushed against the curve of her jaw instead, and rather than get annoyed, the Prince ordered Mink to her other shoulder, nuzzled his way down to the side of her neck, latched his mouth against the soft, sensitive skin there, and began to suck.

Haru trembled in his arms, her face flushed and her fingers curling into his beautiful hair. It took her considerable effort to pull herself together, and she quickly burst out. "Stop, Belphegor! You promised!!"

To his credit, he did pause at her outburst, if only to lift his head to stare at her incredulously.

"You must be fucking kidding me."

She was obviously just as aroused as he was, though for some reason completely unfathomable to him, she was just as determined to deny herself—and by extension, him as well.

Haru was not kidding though, and she proved it by tugging his hair sharply until he finally got the point and released her. This time, in order to protect her modesty from the pervert Prince, the brunette quickly straightened her rumpled clothes and tousled appearance before holding Mink in her arms.

"Well? Can we go back now?" she asked him primly, and he was not amused. Still, it was nobody's fault but his for setting down the conditions that he had—she had only agreed to kiss him, nothing else.

To be honest, Haru half expected him to throw a tantrum over her denying him, but to her surprise, he merely chuckled.

"So you want to play it this way, you little tease?"

Haru turned bright red at his grimly amused tone.

"I'm not teasing," she snapped, offended. "I just want to get back to the castle ASAP. If you didn't have any intention of taking me back, you should have let me go with Xanxus-san!"

That was probably the wrong thing to say to him at this moment, and unfortunately for Haru, she really had no clue that she was stirring up trouble. Almost immediately, Bel's indulgent, good-natured humor disappeared, and the man tensed visibly, his aura darkening by the second.

"I won't let you go," he hissed venomously at her bewildered form. "You are my toy, and I don't share well, woman."

Before Haru could reply, the blonde continued dangerously. "You won't like the consequences if I catch you with other men."

This time around, the sheer possessiveness in his tone, tinged with the promise of violence, was simply unmistakable. She stared at him, and finally started to comprehend the reason behind his seemingly unusual actions.

She scowled.

"You dumb blonde," she growled back, hardly intimidated by the menacing way he was deliberately hovering over her. "Which part of 'I only want to find my way back to the castle' do you not understand? And why would I even want to get mixed up with other men?" she muttered irritably under her breath. "Dealing with you alone is already more than I can handle, idiot. And I'm not your toy."

His shoulders were still rigid with displeasure, his stance stiff, and for awhile, he watched her in cold silence, almost as if trying to determine if she was speaking the truth. Haru had nothing to hide though, and met his hard gaze head on.

"Geh."

At last, Bel started to relax, and the tension between them seemed to disappear completely in the blink of an eye. Without another word, the Prince turned and started to walk away, almost as if nothing had happened.

Haru followed after him without pause, even if she was a bit nonplussed by his behavior. Finally, she reasoned out that he was probably feeling quite foolish for jumping to the wrong conclusion. She was not quite sure of her own feelings regarding the Storm Varia's fierce possessiveness of her though, was still quite disconcerted by the knowledge of it to delve too deeply into her own opinions about the matter, and she quickly decided to shove her thoughts aside for another day.

"Oi."

Haru lifted her gaze from the contented Mink lying in her arms to stare at the back of its owner just a few paces ahead of her. They had been walking in silence until now, and she wondered what he wanted this time around.

"Yeah?"

He didn't stop or turn to look at her, and only continued to walk on ahead.

"When we return to the castle, we are going to finish what you started."

Haru paused in her tracked and gaped at his retreating form.

"Eh?!!"

The pervert; how could he still be thinking of sex?!!

_

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_

::owari::

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Oh Haru, I don't think Bel is thinking of much else when he's around you, haha!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Well, we all know that Bester is Xanxus' kickass box animal, but that aside, there's really no mention of the liger's temperament outside of its powerful abilities, so I kinda made one here.

So…in this fic, Bester really likes women, but not in the perverted sense, of course. He likes the way they smell and the noises they make when he's playing with them (kinda like a squeaky toy, only bigger), and would generally treat one like catnip or a kitty toy if he finds a woman (poor Haru).

So now you know why there are no females in Varia, haha!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4576

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 15/05/10

**

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**

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

When he saw her bruised face and the blood that smeared her lips and chin, the hot, swirling anger simmering within him instantly solidified into icy rage. She was forced to a submissive kneeling position at the feet of the one who had taken her hostage, her hands bound tightly behind her, her normally pristine appearance ragged and dirty. Despite her sorry circumstances, her spirit remained undefeated. The fire in her eyes burned as bright as ever, and he started to smile.

It wasn't by any means a genial expression of joy—no, the wide grin showed his maliciously bared teeth, and behind him, he heard Lussuria hiss with dismay at the sight before them.

The idiot who had dared to take her from him still did not realize the folly of his actions, and merely laughed gloatingly, almost as if proud of his achievements. Belphegor chuckled right along with him, though there was nothing remotely amusing in his cold, dangerous laughter.

"How kind of you to drop by for a visit, Prince Belphegor. Is there something you want back, perhaps?"

The dumb motherfucker thought that he was being so witty, and Belphegor flashed a bloodthirsty grin in return, his bladed weapons materializing between his fingers in a swift instant.

"Get her out of here," the golden-haired male told his fellow Varia in a cool, neutral tone, his usual sarcastic, sadistically playful demeanor conspicuously absent. The Prince was all business now, and he did not even look at his injured lover. "I will follow once I have taken out the trash."

Lussuria agreed without protest. Poor Haru-chan looked like she required prompt medical attention, and the Sun Unit Commander could only guess what her kidnapper had done to her, a defenseless civilian. The martial arts expert could also easily judge by the tense set of Bel's posture that the blonde was truly furious, and that the resulting fight was definitely not going to be a pretty sight to behold.

Surprisingly enough, Haru's kidnapper did not try to prevent Lussuria from rescuing her. But then again, he was kept too busy trying to fend off Belphegor's swift, brutal assaults to even think about his hostage. His blonde opponent was so dangerously skilled that it took his full attention just to keep up with the Prince. Bloodlust and fury flowed through the veins of the lethal Varia executive, and each strike made against his enemy was coldly calculated to cause as much damage as possible.

By the time the Sun Unit Commander had stolen away with Haru in tow, Belphegor was in fine form. He hadn't even unleashed Mink, nor did he have any plans to do so. This fight was personal, and the hapless fool who had dared harm what was his was about to learn the hard way that he had just made a very huge mistake.

Belphegor was _livid_, but unlike in the past, his anger barely showed in the heat of battle. Time and experience had taught the golden haired male that losing his head during a fight was not the most prudent thing to do, so he had learned to block out that distracting sentiment, channeling it to fuel his intense bloodlust, and at the same time, maintaining a coldly clinical mindset trained especially for assassination and combat. Outwardly, his enemy's taunts did not appear to rattle him at all, and that usual lazy smile on his face never wavered, no matter how the other kept rambling about the ways that he had hurt Haru, how she had tried to fight back, how he had 'punished' her for doing so.

Inwardly, his fury mounted exponentially, but unfortunately for his adversary, his rising anger failed to cloud his rationale or even make his attacks sloppy. If anything, the Storm Unit Commander only became more focused on bringing down his enemy, making him an even more dangerous opponent than he already was.

And when Belphegor finally pinned the bastard to the ground, he laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound nor was it particularly sane, but it made a nice counterpoint to the scream that he wrung from his defeated opponent when he drove his blade through the man's wrist, nailing him firmly to the cold, hard dirt floor. The sickening sound of metal tearing into flesh and scraping against bone was repeated again when he stabbed another of his knives viciously into the man's other wrist, the savage smirk of bloodthirsty glee on his face to growing to massive proportions.

Belphegor chuckled softly, cruelly amused by the figure writing with agony on the ground.

"You dare damage my property. Let's count the number of ways I will make you pay me back."

* * *

"Her ribs are a bit tender and she's bruised in some places, so you cannot handle her roughly!" Lussuria cautioned when the younger Varia finally returned to the castle sometime later, his personal thunderstorm hovering over his head in an ominous manner. The dried blood stains that were splattered all over Bel's clothes and hair were not commented on by the colorful martial arts expert, and the blonde in question gave no indication that he had heard Lussuria's report on Haru's state of wellbeing. He merely continued down the hallway in swift strides, his features uncharacteristically blank as he made his way towards Haru's suite.

Lussuria wisely decided not to follow the temperamentally volatile prince, at least not while he was in this current mood.

"Haru-chan also refused to see the castle's doctor, so see what you can do about that!" the man merely yelled after Bel's retreating back, and then he sighed exasperatedly.

It would be nice if the blonde could learn to be tactful for once and be sensitive towards Haru. Lussuria didn't harbor high hopes that Belphegor would actually be understanding and sympathetic towards his wounded lover though. That man was well known for not having a compassionate bone in his body, though the Sun Unit Commander had to admit that today was one of the rare handful of times that he had seen Belphegor so furious. The poor girl had a bad day today and no doubt was still quite shaken by the ordeal she had just gone through. The last thing she needed was to have to face Belphegor's temper as well.

Still, Lussuria was not too worried; the fight with Haru's kidnapper should have dulled the edge of Bel's anger, and the older man did not think that Haru would be in any physical danger with her blonde protector, excessively violent as he could be sometimes. This would be a good experience for Bel at the very least, and with that thought in mind, Lussuria turned around and started to make his way back to his rooms. The martial arts expert chuckled softly to himself.

It seemed that something interesting had come out of this horrible day after all.

Lussuria wondered just when Belphegor would realize that Haru was starting to become important to him, and then started to laugh outright when he realized the difficult the younger man had ahead of him. Knowing Belphegor, he would most likely curse and swear the entire way and go down fighting tooth and nail. Lussuria didn't know whether to pity the golden-haired Prince or continue to laugh.

Hmm…perhaps he should start placing bets with the rest to see how long Bel would hold out before he finally succumbed…

* * *

Belphegor slammed his way into the bedroom noisily, startling the unusually subdued woman sitting quietly on the bed. He paid her no heed however, and instead started to shed his clothes methodically as he continued unerringly towards the bathroom, a trail of bloodied garments strewn messily behind him before he stormed through a door situated at the corner of the large room. Moments later, the sound of a shower starting drifted into the bedroom.

It didn't take a genius to derive that he was truly angry. The air around him was heavy and murderous and the way he ignored her completely made her flinch inwardly with an increasing upset that she really didn't understand herself. She had seen the smears of crimson that streaked his golden hair before he disappeared into the bathroom and had a good guess as to what he had done to her kidnapper. Haru also knew that she was in deep trouble, and that only made her self-confidence dip further. Today's incident had shaken her up more than she cared to admit, and the fact that she had went and caused unnecessary trouble for the Varia did not make her feel any better.

Utterly miserable, Haru drew her knees to her chest and huddled up in a tight ball against the headboard of the bed. Once again, it had been proven without a doubt that she was still too weak and useless, and no matter how hard she strove to be useful, she still remained a burden to those around her. The brunette curled her arms around her knees and fought not to cry. She was only partially successful. Her vision blurred with the onset of tears but she stubbornly refused to let a single drop fall. She was so busy being depressed and unhappy that she failed to notice that the sound of falling water from the adjoining room had since stopped, and when Belphegor emerged from the bathroom, dressed only in a pair of black boxers with a towel slung around his neck and blonde hair wet, the pitiful, dejected sight before him made the corners of his lips pull down sharply with irritation.

A few quick strides brought him to the side of the large bed in a matter of moments, but she was so preoccupied with staring at her toes that she didn't notice his proximity. Her hair was still slightly damp from her own shower and she was already dressed for bed; a simple white, long sleeved nightshirt swallowed her slight frame. Her head was bowed, her hair concealing her features from the rest of the world. She looked so damned defeated to him, and for some reason or another, that severely pissed him off.

Belphegor tossed his towel onto the back of a nearby armchair and got into bed with little preamble. Haru finally noticed the disturbance, and instead of turning towards him, she looked away, swiveling her head quickly in the opposite direction. The blonde twitched at her blatantly antisocial behavior, and not surprisingly, he did not appreciate being ignored by her.

And so, in a purely Belphegor fashion, he chose to solve the problem in his usual brusque manner.

One moment, Haru was sitting against the headboard and diligently trying to avoid Bel's attention, and the next, she was lying flat on her back and he was leaning over her, jerking her pajamas off her with little preamble. Stunned, Haru gasped quietly and started flail about to be let up only for the stronger male to pause, catch hold of her chin and tilt her face to the light. She tried to pull away but he was having none of it and easily held her in place for his intent perusal.

The entire left side of her face was bruised and starting to discolor. She also had a split lip, and it was apparent that she had been smacked around by her kidnapper earlier, no doubt in an attempt to put her down harshly when she was trying to resist the abduction. Small scratches adorned her other cheek, and now that he had her nightshirt half off her, he could also see the ugly finger-shaped bruises that were beginning to form on her arms as well as the raw abrasions that circled her wrists. Her chest was bound tightly with strips of bandages in an attempt to ease the discomfort of her sore ribs. Looking at her injuries, his anger, so recently buried, ignited again.

His grip on her chin was starting to hurt, and when she cringed visibly, he released her only to catch hold of her arm instead.

"Tell me what he did to you."

He sounded eerily calm to her ears, and that quickly made alarm bells ring. Belphegor was never calm, at least not without being sarcastic and acidic as well, and as such, Haru shook her head.

"There's nothing to tell," she muttered, starting to get quite upset herself. "Let me go."

He obviously did not like her answer, judging by the way his aura visibly darkened.

"Did the fucker touch you?"

She shook her head again, prodded to a reply by his infuriated growl. "No! I would never have allowed that! H-he just hit me a bit, and when I tried to fight back, he shoved me to the ground and just started to kick and kick and k-kick" she broke off abruptly then, her expressive eyes darkening with shame as the tears returned with a vengeance. She swiped at them almost angrily with the back of her hand and tried not to look at this golden-haired male staring at her with his usual inscrutable demeanor, but the day was just too overwhelming for her and before she knew it, she started to cry in earnest. "I-I t-tried, but I couldn't do anything at all. I'm just so upset with myself right now."

She wasn't crying because she was scared or because she was injured and bleeding and in pain. No, the stupid woman was shedding tears of frustration, distressed because of her own helplessness in a situation where she was severely disadvantaged, and even then, she had still tried to fight.

"I'm so useless, a-and, and no matter how hard I try, I'm always such a burden to everyone around me!" She was certainly in the most vulnerable state that he had ever seen her in, her nose turning red from her crying and pitiful trails of wetness flowing down her cheeks. Then, as if she had just realized that she was exposing her defenseless self completely to him, she quickly jerked away from him and tried to curl up into a tight little ball of misery to cry herself to exhaustion. He had no intention to leave her alone just yet though, and it turned out that she obviously did not wish for him to go. When he pulled her to him, rolling his eyes and looking up at the ceiling for sorely needed patience, she offered no resistance, and surprisingly enough, turned blindly to him for comfort, latching hold onto his arm and hiding her face against his shoulder as she continued to sob.

He tolerated being her living handkerchief for awhile until he could not stand her noisy wailing any longer and promptly rolled her onto her back. She hiccupped with surprise but wasn't allowed to react otherwise as he moved on top of her. He managed not to aggravate any of her bruises in the process, and without a word to her, he lowered his head and kissed her to silence. She froze in shock, but that did not seem to faze him one bit. He moved his mouth against hers hotly and urgently, his arm snaking around her waist to pull her nearer, his tongue sliding against the seam of her lips as he demanded her response.

Haru flinched when the open wound on her mouth stung with discomfort at the contact, but still, she slowly parted her lips and allowed him entrance. This time, she also wrapped her arms awkwardly around his neck and tried to participate. Their tongues dueled wetly against each other and Bel was pressing so close to her that she could hardly breathe, but for some reason or another, she needed so much more of him at that moment that she didn't really care. Her hold on him tightened and she poured as much of herself into the kiss as she could, arching against him and trying to press herself to his strong, wiry form. She was still shuddering from crying so hard earlier, but even that was quickly dissipating as a familiar heat started to spread within her lower belly, and she sighed shakily when his hand reached down to settle between her legs. That soft, gentle vocalization turned into a quiet moan against his mouth when he nudged her panties aside and rubbed the tips of his fingers languidly against her sensitive flesh, and at the same time, he broke off their kiss in favor of running his lips against the curve of her jaw.

She shied away when he neared her bruised cheek, turning her face to the other side and hiding the result of her weakness from him. "Don't," she protested in a shamed whisper. "I look ugly."

His reaction was typical. She was turned back to face him and he once again proved that he could do whatever he pretty well wished by letting his mouth linger against her injured cheek, and she reluctantly let him, well aware that she would not win against his obstinacy. The matter was quickly put aside when he dipped a finger into her moist channel, and almost immediately, her hips bucked into his hand in anticipation of what was to come next, and Haru hid her flushed face against her lover's chest as he slowly pleasured her with his fingers. She was panting and no longer crying by the time he withdrew his damp hand from between her thighs, her eyes dazed and her lips reddened from his kisses, and when he made to strip her pajamas and panties completely off her, she allowed him to do so with no fight whatsoever. He kicked off his own underwear swiftly as well, revealing his erection as he moved back towards her. She received him willingly, pressing her lips against his throat in a submissive kiss as he mounted her and guided himself into her. She closed her eyes at the exquisite sensation of him filling her up from within, her fingers curling into his biceps as he hilted himself fully in her with a soft grunt.

"Wrap your legs around my waist," he demanded gruffly against her ear, and she obliged. He moved against her, slowly at first, in a familiar pattern that never failed to wring a moan from her lips. He increased his pace quickly and she moved with him, tossing her head to the side and whimpering into the bedspread as he pulled out and slid into her again and again, the sinful friction quickly overriding whatever worries and trauma that had inundated her mind earlier. Her attention was completely focused on the man stretched possessively over her, her senses fully attuned to his every movement. With him, she partook in the age old dance of lust, and maybe she was already emotionally drained by the day's ordeal, or maybe she just badly needed the physical attention of someone right now, but this time around, she let go completely of the uncertainty and the guilt that never failed to plague her whenever they had sex, _and it felt so good_.

Her upset melted away as she chose instead to concentrate on Belphegor, openly welcoming the pleasure that he brought her, soft and docile and willing against him, her soft mouth running restlessly against his chest as he moved over her, their breathing escalating as they both strained towards the completion that they were looking for. There were no words spoken between them, and with the exception of how he made sure to leave her injuries alone, Bel certainly wasn't being any gentler than he usually was. Haru did not mind. She closed her eyes and held him close to her, pressing her face into the side of his neck even as her slender legs tightened around his lean hips, trying to keep him in her as he brought her nearer and nearer to her climax.

She came first, shuddering under him with a husky, breathless cry of his name as the force of her orgasm quickly overtook her senses. Her mind blanked and she went rigid, her nails digging into the back of his shoulders even as her snug channel convulsed uncontrollably around his hard length, her thighs locking around his narrow waist to keep him in her and he growled loudly at the pleasurable sensation.

She was wrapped so mind numbingly tight around him, and his hands went down to grab her bare bottom, pressing her lower body firmly against him and eliciting a small, surprised moan from her. Holding her in place, he reversed their positions swiftly, rolling onto his back with her straddling his hips still. Taking advantage of the momentum, he arched into her even as his hands spanned her waist and pulled her down on his erection, seating himself even deeper within her. She mewled with surprise, then curled up shakily on his chest when she felt him climax. Her face was slightly flushed with pleasure as his warm seed coated her womb, and she turned her face away from him in embarrassment when she noticed that he was watching her.

Belphegor did not allow her to do so for long. His hand reached up to cup the back of her head, firmly guiding her face back to his with a persistent force. He drew her to him and kissed her hard, and even though her split lip complained at the pressure, Haru closed her eyes and kissed him back. She was being uncharacteristically shy and quiet, gentle, almost feminine in the way she was retuning his attention.

Belphegor wondered if she had been dropped on her head by her kidnapper earlier.

The woman was seldom this docile after sex, though this was certainly an improvement from earlier, when she was crying and highly upset. She had calmed down now, no longer trying to wail his ears off and was lying pliant against him. He, too, was relaxed, no longer tense and on edge and as furious as he had been when he had found out that she had been kidnapped by some waste of space, half-rate idiot.

"Thank you," she said quietly against his mouth, though her eyes were averted and she looked quite uncomfortable. She pulled back slightly from him and tried to get off him but he refused to let her go.

"Don't move. I'm not done yet." He was still pulsing slightly within her, not completely spent yet, and she started to glare at him, not amused at his imperious order.

"Pervert!" she scolded him, her face reddening again, though she stilled obediently, a flustered expression on her face. She was strangely charming like that, and he was about to smirk and needle her more when she became serious again. "I meant what I said though. Thank you for coming to save me."

This time around, she looked at him straight on. "If you and Lussuria didn't come, I would have been in trouble."

That was clearly not the correct topic to discuss with him at the moment, for he started to tense again.

"You were already neck deep in trouble!" he snapped sharply at her, growing irritated all over again. "You little fool; didn't I tell you never to wander the castle grounds on your own? Did you think that you were still in Japan?"

She stared at him in surprise, taken aback by his abrupt change in temperament. But he was not done yet. "The Vongola and the Varia have a lot of enemies and they are always looking for any opportunities to put us at a disadvantage. Do you have any brains at all? It would be my head on a platter if you died!"

Instead of being hurt by his brusque attitude, it only reminded Haru of something quite important. She blinked, and then quickly blurted out. "Oh! Don't tell anyone back in Japan what happened today. I don't want them to worry over this insignificant incident."

If anything, her innocent remark seemed to set her royal lover off as well. A tick of aggravation appeared on his head, and before she knew it, he was yelling at her. "Don't worry about others; just worry about yourself, idiot! And don't change the subject! Next time you get kidnapped, stay put, keep quiet, and be a good captive! Don't attract undue attention to yourself and just wait to be rescued! Were you trying to get yourself killed or are you just plain stupid?"

He continued that particular spiel for a good five minutes or so, and by then, Haru's pride had taken a good blistering. She had originally intended not to pick any fights with Belphegor (in light of his rescue of her), but he was being his usual annoying self (even more so if possible) and she was swiftly forgetting her conviction to tolerate her sarcastic, high strung guardian. There was only so much of 'idiot' and 'stupid' and 'fool' that she could take, and instead of feeling upset and hurt by his cutting tone, she started to lose her temper. Haru turn red again, though this time, embarrassment had nothing to do with it.

Truly, it was nothing short of amazing how Belphegor could easily make Haru forget about her horrible experience just a few hours ago, and he wasn't even trying to comfort her.

"Don't yell at me!" The brunette's own demand was ironic because she was bellowing back at him, and the situation was almost absurd because the couple was still on the bed, naked and partially joined to each other. If Haru had been morose and dejected earlier, she was certainly not feeling that way now, at least not with the renewed fire coursing through her veins. "And I'm not stupid! I was only trying to find a way out of that situation!"

He scowled back at her. "Well, don't even try next time! Just sit, stay, and wait for me to get you!"

Haru was terribly offended by his tone. "There isn't going to be a next time, and don't treat me like your dog!"

Bel was quite glad that she had brought up that topic. He drew his face near to hers. "No, you are not my dog, but you still belong to me."

Haru started to back away at his proximity but he merely held her still and continued. "You belong wholly to me now, and whoever dares touch what's mine had better be prepared for bloodshed."

It would be almost sweet if not for the fact that Haru knew Belphegor was being perfectly serious. He wasn't smiling, after all. The man was completely crazy like that, and in response, Haru shook her head, slumping with defeat.

"You know what? I'd rather you not do anything," she muttered, and just for the sake of denial, she continued irritably. "And I'm not yours."

His reply, as usual, was a hard smirk, and when Haru tried to slide off him again, he proved his point by not letting her go, until at last, she gave up and lay with him instead. She was thoroughly exhausted and was in no mood to play any of his games, and the fact that she was also quite sore from her injuries helped settle her down quickly.

"I'm going to be black and blue all over tomorrow," she mumbled quite miserably against his chest. Her golden-haired lover snorted under his breath, not the least sympathetic.

"You deserve all of it, you idiot woman."

"…Shut up!"

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, my apologies for this late update! Exams were driving me insane as usual, and I barely made it out alive. Thank God that's over for this semester, at least, so I will try to update a bit more regularly for as long as I can.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Back to the topic of this chapter, I'd like to highlight that Haru is _not_ going to turn into some random MS-ish superwoman. Despite her being a member of the Vongola Famiglia, she is still pretty much a civilian. Strictly speaking, she does not fight for the Vongola, though she does helps to strengthen the defenses of the various Vongola bases with her advanced technical knowledge and IT skills.

And yes, that means she has a rather high likelihood of being kidnapped by random enemies of the Vongola, which is why Belphegor is always so irritated whenever she wanders around the Varia property alone and without proper escorts.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

As for Belphegor's violent reaction towards Haru's kidnapping, well, all I can say is that even though he's not in love with her at this moment, he is also definitely no longer indifferent to her wellbeing or lack thereof. As of now, he considers her as his property, and does not take kindly to anyone trying to harm and/or remove her from him.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

That's all for now. With luck, I will be uploading the next chapter in about a week's time, so do watch out for it!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5673

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 22/05/10

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**Chapter Fifteen**

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It was only two days after the kidnapping incident and already, Haru was back at work.

She still ached from the physical abuse she had taken from her abductor but it wasn't anything too serious, and besides, there was no menial labor for her to fulfill over at the server vault, just the usual computer programming that required more usage of her brain than physical strength. Still, Lussuria, true to his nickname as the 'Mother of Varia,' had worried over her injuries and mental state of mind until Haru had assured him multiple times that she was perfectly fine, which really wasn't a lie.

Despite the traumatic experience, it had taken Haru less than two days to bounce back to her usual spunky, cheerful self. Her impressive coping mechanism ensured that she forgave and forgot quickly, her volatile temper burning hot and bright for only a moment before it subsided and cooled down again, and needless to say, that meant she was simply _horrible_ at holding grudges and nursing thoughts of cold-blooded revenge for too long. She was not one to linger gloomily over the misfortunes in her life, the 'woe is me' attitude just something she was unable to keep up for extended periods of time.

The fact that Belphegor was most rudely unsympathetic towards her ordeal only helped to speed up her recovery process. Whereas most women would have been driven to depression by their lovers' callous and seemingly uncaring attitude, Haru merely sucked it up, nursed her healing injuries as she normally did, and went on with her life.

After all, if Belphegor suddenly came to her fretting and hovering like some anxious mother hen, then Haru would know for certain that somebody had impersonated the bad-tempered, violent, and lunatic prince, and had done a piss poor job of it too. She had trouble just imagining a fawning Belphegor as it was, and to be honest, the golden-haired Varia was more likely to yell at her like he had done sporadically over the past few days than, god forbid, be considerate of her feelings and act caring around her.

Surprisingly enough, Haru didn't really mind though. She did not know how to describe it properly, but Belphegor was consistent in his _inconsistency_, and that reassured her in a strange way that she didn't quite understand herself. Bel was sadistic, he wasn't nice, and he was downright mean sometimes, but she always knew where she stood with him, and that was something she rather appreciated, though she would never admit it to him, of course.

Haru spent the morning contentedly enclosed within the dungeon vaults, typing away at the computers, writing complex computer codes and algorithms almost on autopilot. It was relaxing for her to return to work, as strange as it sounded, and Haru busied herself thoroughly by trying to fulfill as much of her to-do list as possible. Time flew quickly, and before long, dusk was approaching and her stomach was beginning to rumble for dinner. The distracted brunette had skipped lunch earlier in favor of attending to a particularly crucial part of her program, and was understandably ravenous by nightfall. She looked up from her monitor and stretched, only to wince reflexively when her bruises protested the action.

Thank god her lover was not here today. The volatile blonde would have noticed her discomfort, done that strange twitch of his, and then lost his temper all over again. Haru grimaced at that thought. Belphegor was always targeting her one way or another, and he had probably milked her kidnapping incident dry already, judging by the number of times he had yelled at her for it so far.

Of course, she had never been one to take it sitting down, and would promptly bellow right back in his face every time he started.

Not surprisingly, they normally ended up in bed to solve their 'differences.'

Haru was getting quite resigned to the fact that sex with Belphegor was going to happen no matter how she protested it, and if she was to be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn't even fighting really hard to get away from him anymore. Maybe it was the fact that she was beginning to trust him more than she really should, or maybe it was the fact that she was quite lonely by herself in Italy and he gave her a type of attention that she had never experienced before, but Haru was beginning to accept that the Varia's Prince wanted her with a fierce, unapologetic need, and perhaps it wasn't such a bad situation after all.

...provided Belphegor wasn't throwing fits for no reason at all, of course.

"…"

Beside her, Fran stirred.

The slender, turquoise-eyed male was her guardian for the day and he had been quietly occupying himself with a thick book that depicted the finer workings of the Vongola servers. The Mist Unit Commander was most undoubtedly one of her most preferred people to work with. Although he was quite antagonistic towards his fellow Varia, at times infuriating Levi with his monotonous insults or pointedly ignoring Belphegor when the latter was trying to skewer him with his blades, Fran was unfailingly polite and helpful to her, albeit in a distant, almost bored, manner. Haru did not mind though. They had a simple, peaceful working arrangement in which neither would get in the other's way. Fran did not disturb her when she was preoccupied with her computers, and in return, she never bugged him or tried to skeptically question his abilities like some of his irritating Varia colleagues. There was a small hint of mutual respect between the two, and that made working together go so much more smoothly.

The green-haired young man glanced apathetically at the sealed entrance of the large vault before returning his attention to his temporary charge.

"Bel-sempai is here," he informed her calmly. Before Haru could ask how he knew when she hadn't even noticed any change in their surroundings, the familiar rumble and clicks of deactivating security measures at the entrance of the vaults sounded through the massive underground dungeon, and within less than a minute, the thick chunk of wall that separated the main cavern from the walkway that led to it slid open, and in sauntered her golden-haired lover.

He had left the castle even before she woke up that morning, no doubt called upon for a mission. She was getting used to the way he came and went whenever the mood struck him, though she was surprised that he had let her continue to sleep. Normally, he would have made enough noise to wake her as well—he was exasperatingly childish like that, and if he wasn't allowed to sleep any longer, neither was she.

Haru promptly decided that the mission he had been assigned to must have been a rather important one for him to forgo disturbing her as he normally did in order to attend to his work sooner. It was definitely nice to be able to wake up on her own for once, and not get rudely prodded awake by her inconsiderate bedmate.

Fran watched the older Varia enter with a bored, lethargic gaze, and Haru roused herself from her musings to give Belphegor a brief look over as well. He was dressed casually in his Varia uniform, Mink wrapped around his neck. Both Box animal and human didn't look to be wounded or even ruffled from whatever mission that they had accomplished earlier, and the brunette watched them expectantly when they neared.

Bel inclined his head towards the Mist Varia brusquely.

"Out, froggy," the blonde demanded, though Fran was more or less immune to the Prince's rude mannerisms. The younger man was evidently not in a confrontational mood at the moment, and merely stood up unhurriedly and strolled out of the large cavern without a word. Haru frowned at her lover when Fran was no longer in the dungeon vaults, the thick walls and concrete doors once again separating the two from the rest of the world.

"I don't suppose you can be a bit nicer to Fran-san," Haru commented exasperatedly.

"I don't do nice," the blonde retorted, a sharp, edgy grin on his handsome face as he came to a stop right before her.

"You can at least be civil, you know. Like how you are to me. Most of the time, that is." Haru looked a bit disgruntled. Why was he always so arrogantly offensive?

Belphegor seemed vaguely amused.

"That's unlikely to happen," he replied silkily.

"And why is that so?" she challenged. She had to tilt her head all the way up to look at him, and even then, his hair covered half of his features, as usual.

"For one, I'm fucking you, not him."

He was being deliberately crude, but Haru was more or less used to his antics by then. She scowled harder at him, but refrained from commenting on the subject. God only knew that she had tried before, but of course, none of her attempts had ever worked. Instead, she turned back to her supercomputers, saved her work, and then started to shut down some of the systems, leaving the rest idle to monitor the servers' conditions for the night.

Haru was getting quite hungry and was ready to leave the dungeon vaults, and she was absently wondering what the chef had made for dinner when without warning, Belphegor swiveled her chair around and turned her back to face him.

"Hey!" she protested, instinctively pressing flat against the back of her chair when he leaned down and flattened his hands on each side of the armrests, effectively caging her in her seat. He moved nearer towards her, lips curling in a familiar smirk, and surprisingly enough, she quieted.

"Bel…" she sighed softly, exasperatedly.

Other than for that small, jester-like grin on his face, she couldn't tell what he was thinking, as usual, but that no longer bothered her as much as it used to. She lifted her hand, hesitantly at first, gradually becoming bolder when he did not disapprove her action, and stroked his face lightly. To her inward surprise, he seemed to welcome her gentle touch, his lean, wiry form relaxing minutely as her fingers ran lightly over those sharp, proud cheekbones of his. A rough, near inaudible purr escaped him as she continued the pleasant ministrations, the soft tips of her digits sliding down the narrow curve of his jaw before rubbing gently, curiously, against his lips.

He pulled away from her touch eventually, only to move nearer to catch her mouth with his in a searing, possessive kiss that quickly made her mind go blank. Her eyes slipped closed, and her hand moved from his face to the back of his neck as he nudged against her soft mouth demandingly, seeking entrance that she gave willingly this time. Her golden-haired lover smiled smugly against her lips, a sharp, masculine grin of satisfaction at her pliant and docile behavior.

He looked quite pleased with himself when he finally withdrew from her, and once she recovered from his abrupt gesture of affection/lust, she scowled at him again. He really didn't make sense sometimes, and she just wished that he didn't always do things as he pleased.

"What was that for?" she demanded, flustered.

"You were groping me first," he replied in a silky, arch tone. "I was merely returning the favor."

Haru turned red.

"You- I wasn't groping you!"

He smirked, a decidedly mischievous air settling around him.

"That wasn't what it looked like over here, little sparrow." Before she could deny it any further, he changed the subject. "Give me your hand."

When she gave him a suspicious look, he lost his patience and grabbed her hand, upturned it, and then placed two objects that he had simultaneously withdrawn from his coat pockets onto her palm.

Haru stared at the simple, unadorned ring and the small, nondescript box on her hand with pure incomprehension before tilting her head up to look at Bel.

"What…is this?" she asked, not entirely sure of his purpose of giving her these.

As usual, the golden-haired man was not amused with what he deemed as her deliberate obtuseness.

"What do you think?" he replied almost cuttingly. "That's obviously a ring and a box weapon."

Haru refrained from losing her temper.

"I know! Why did you give them to me? What am I supposed to do with these?"

One side of Bel's lips curled down slightly with irritation. It was obvious that he really didn't like to answer questions when the answers were quite obvious.

"You are supposed to use it, of course. Are you really an idiot and have never seen these in action before?"

He was still near enough for her to reach his forearm and give him a hard pinch in retaliation for his derisive tone, and in reaction, he muttered an expletive and just _glared_ at her. She knew, because she could feel it. She ignored it all the same, well used to his temper tantrums by now.

"Don't call me an idiot," she grumbled, scowling. "And I can't use a box weapon, remember? I'm a civilian; I have no Dying Will Flame."

It pained Haru slightly to admit that it was impossible for her to contribute to her Family in any other way than as support crew. It would have been a dream come true for her if she had the ability to fight, or even to defend her precious people from the dangers that were always lurking around the Famiglia, but she had known a long time ago that she just wasn't blessed with that type of ability. As it was, she could barely keep herself from getting into trouble or keep Tsuna and the rest from worrying about her, and Haru felt a bit angry that Belphegor was being so insensitive and all but throwing in her face the fact that she was utterly useless where it mattered the most.

Bel snorted rudely.

"If you have no flame, little idiot, you would be dead. Just because you have never utilized it before does not mean that you don't have it."

"But I- it never manifested-" Haru stuttered with increasing confusion.

"Your flame is untrained, of course it would never manifest," Belphegor cut in flippantly. "Sawada Tsunayoshi required Reborn's intensive training techniques before he stopped relying on the Dying Will Bullet to force out his flames. All of the Vongola Guardians who had connections to the Mafia were more or less aware of their flame type, and those who weren't also had to train extensively before they could manifest theirs. So yes, that means you have a flame."

By the end of his brief explanation, Haru was looking quite hopeful. Her impatient lover thought that she was being ridiculously _happy_, and as usual, went out of his way to deliberately destroy some of that happiness. "Don't get your hopes up. Your flame will most probably be quite weak and I doubt you'll be able to do much with it."

Unfortunately, his 'sourpuss' tendencies were promptly ignored. Haru gazed thoughtfully at the ring and the box weapon on her hand before speaking again.

"…Why wasn't I told of this?"

The blonde looked at the quietly stunned form of his lover. He saw no need to hide the truth from her, and so he answered, citing the reasons why no one had ever considered teaching her.

"You are more useful as a civilian than a fighter. You will never be as powerful as the Guardians in terms of combat abilities. You will be in constant danger once you are identified as a warrior for the Vongola Famiglia. It's a waste of time and effort training you. That's all there is to it."

It stung to hear the confirmation of what she had always suspected, but Haru knew that was the truth, and really couldn't blame anyone for it. She really was more useful as a member of the support team than as a fighter, and if there was a chance that she would be put in mortal danger, then Tsuna would never have allowed her to learn how to utilize her inborn abilities.

The Juudaime of the Vongola Famiglia was no longer the cowardly, sniveling boy that he was ten years ago. Now, the powerful Sky Flame Wielder was a gallant, chivalrous man who always sought to look after his Family no matter the consequences, and Haru knew that it would be just like him and some of his Guardians to overprotect the females of his clan thusly. Their chauvinistic attitude towards women chaffed at Haru's pride somewhat, but their intentions were wholly pure, and she really couldn't be angry at them when all they wanted was to keep her safe.

Still, their attempts to keep her away from danger weren't working successfully, judging by this recent kidnapping incident, and Haru knew that she had to do something about it before the situation got any worse.

She looked at Bel. The Storm Prince had to be the antithesis of the Decimo he indirectly served. The golden haired, deceptively angelic man was no knight in shining armor. He was insincere, unapologetically arrogant, took great enjoyment out of his kills, and chivalry seemed to be completely lost on him. He was mean and a bit demented and took what he wanted and did whatever he pleased, and Haru didn't even understand why she put up with him most of the time, but it was at moments like this that she got a glimpse of the person behind that fake, and at times, crazed, veneer, when she saw the base character that made him the man that he was, insane streak and all.

He had never tried to pretend to be someone he wasn't, and he had never tried to mollycoddle her, either.

For some reason unknown to her, that made Haru feel a lot more confident in herself than any amount of assurance that her Family could give her.

"Are you going to teach me how to use these?" she asked.

He gave her an incredulous stare.

"Hell, no. Figure it out yourself. This is only a Rank C ring and box; any self-respecting idiot would know how to use it. Aren't you supposed to be quite smart?"

Haru twitched at his sarcastic tone, but was too excited by the chance he had given her to be truly irritated. Another question struck her then, and she blurted out.

"Wait; how did you know what type of flame user I would be?"

The blonde shrugged. "I have a good guess," he replied quite blandly.

"Oh…" Haru trailed off at his answer, not sure what else to say. "Thanks, I guess."

She looked at the objects on her hand again. The ring was a thin silver band, bearing no marks or crests that spoke of its affiliation to any organization whatsoever, and it was the same for the box. The box was matte black and it was hard to believe that a weapon resided within it.

"Put on the ring," Bel commanded then, and startled, Haru did as he directed, clumsily picking up the cool metal and sliding it carefully onto her right ring finger. It fit like it had always belonged there, and surprised, the brunette stared at it quizzically before turning her gaze expectantly to the blonde.

"Then I match up the box and the ring?" Haru hazarded a guess, having seen how a box weapon was activated enough times to know.

Belphegor shrugged again. Without the proper training, he doubted that Haru could produce even a spark. She was welcome to try though, which was exactly what she did when he made no move to stop her. It was almost amusing to see the determined look on her face as she dramatically fitted the ring and the box together, though he certainly didn't expect the box weapon to actually react to whatever little dying will flame that she possessed.

Therefore, when the bright, blinding burst of golden light leaked through the widening cracks of the box at an alarming rate, and the loud, displeased shriek of what was unmistakably a box animal echoed through the large cavern, Belphegor was most definitely quite surprised.

"Heh."

There wasn't much time for the Prince to do—or say—anything else, for in the blink of an eye, a small shape of gold materialized right before a stunned Haru and hurtled straight into the air, screeching the entire way. It narrowly missed smashing into Belphegor and Mink, who had been curled quietly around its master's neck the entire while. The Storm Mink roused to full wakefulness immediately, bristling with affront when it scented prey, the crimson flame that was its tail flaring up to full volume as it lunged and snapped at the other unleashed and wild animal. It received nothing but a face full of bright golden flames for its lightning like efforts, and Haru winced at the piercing scream of her infuriated box animal as it soared higher in the air, illuminating everything in its way with a blinding light.

It was pumping out so much flame that it was difficult to identify what type of animal it was—Haru could only see a small silhouette in the epicenter of all the flames as it flew overhead in a jagged, disorientated path. Meanwhile, Belphegor snapped out a command for Mink to stand down before turning his attention to the brunette.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" the blonde half yelled, half demanded, through the racket her box animal was making. "Control it!"

"How?" Haru asked back in a near shout, her eyes tracking the dizzying movements of the avian-like creature as it weaved this way and that, apparently trying to find a way out of the enclosed dungeons. Haru could almost taste its desperation for freedom as it slammed itself repeatedly against the jagged walls and ceiling, and it was obviously going to injure itself badly if it continued its self-destructive ways.

Belphegor had certainly never seen a rank C box animal behave thusly before. The Sun flames that it emitted were almost blinding in its intensity, and it was so aggressive and wild that he was sure that it must have been mislabeled. This was most definitely not a 'docile, manageable little critter' like the royal treasurer had assured him when he had returned to the royal vaults in his home country to pick out a box weapon for Haru. The fact that his 'civilian' lover had managed to draw it out of its box was even more surprising, and the Storm Unit Commander briefly wondered just how hard Haru had focused to release the animal.

"What am I supposed to do?" Haru asked again, a look of distress creeping quickly over her face. "It's going to knock itself out if it keeps on!"

Bel's lips turned down sharply with irritation as he watched the berserk animal for a moment.

"Let it knock itself out. I will subdue it and force it back into its box once it passes out."

For some reason, Belphegor's flippant solution rubbed Haru the wrong way. She spared him a quick frown.

"You can't do that!" she protested. "That's going to hurt my box animal!"

The Prince shook his head once.

"The thing is beyond your handling capability. I'm returning it."

"What? No!" Haru was getting quite agitated by Belphegor's heartless plan. "That's my box animal and I'm keeping it! You gave it to me and I'm not letting you take it away!"

She had only been in contact with the box animal for all of five minutes, and already, her protective instinct towards the Sun Flame animal was rising rapidly. For a brief moment during the activation, she had connected with it when she had poured her whole heart and will into getting it to accept her, and in return, it had resonated its feelings back to her. It had been scared and lonely and trapped for so long, and she had promised to free it. Within the blink of an eye, it had accepted her offer and Haru promptly had a crazed, delirious animal on her hands.

And now it was crashing clumsily against the jagged dungeon walls, all but beating itself bloody against the unyielding stone trying to get out. Haru was getting steadily distressed by its actions, and when Belphegor didn't seem inclined to offer any help, she quickly took matters into her own hand.

"Hey!" she yelled at the out of control animal. She hoped that it could recognize her even through its hysteria, and tried her best to emit the same feeling that she had earlier when she had freed it.

Stunningly enough, it worked and garnered a reaction from the disorientated animal. The bright golden flames that engulfed it burned brighter in intensity as it swerved suddenly from the wall and locked on to the worried brunette on the ground below, and then it was pulling into a steep dive straight towards her. The rush of supercharged heat overwhelmed her but Haru forced herself to stand firm. The downward velocity of the animal was enough to drive back the flames that it was generating and Haru could vaguely see its outline.

Her box animal was clearly some sort of bird, though exactly what kind, she was not sure. Surprisingly enough, for the amount of golden flames that were all but spewing out of its body, it wasn't very large, perhaps only about a foot in height. Its wings were folded back as it shot towards her like a bullet and Haru steeled herself for the inevitable impact.

Just before the bird was about to hit her, sharp claws fully extended, Belphegor snatched her away, grabbing her by the wrist and hauling her safely to the side. Her box animal missed her narrowly and overshot its target, blazing off to the other side of the cavern, a trail of golden flames burning wildly behind it.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Bel yelled.

Haru's only reaction was to try to shake her lover off her. Belphegor was not amused.

"Mink," he ordered in an unspoken command, and his well-trained box animal responded promptly, readying itself for a skirmish ahead.

Haru shook her head. "No, don't interfere," she protested. Belphegor merely tightened his hold on her.

"If you really want to kill yourself, don't do it on my watch," he snapped irritably. Haru glanced distractedly at him.

"I'm not trying to kill myself. I'm just trying to get hold of my box animal."

And damn if she wasn't perfectly serious about it too.

Belphegor resisted the urge to give her a good shake.

Fortunately for her, that crazy bird of hers chose that moment to burnout. The small avian was obviously not equipped to channel huge amounts of flame for as long as it had, and in a quick instant, all the intense fire that it was forcibly disgorging from itself sputtered precariously before guttering out altogether. Without the cover of the powerful Sun Flames shielding it, it looked a lot smaller and more fragile than expected, and Haru gasped when, without warning, the bird pitched over midflight and plunged headfirst to the unforgiving stone floor below.

"Belphegor, let go!" Haru shook free from the Storm Varia and shot into action, running full tilt under the rapidly falling bird and at the very last moment, caught the box animal in her arms.

The bird, with a now noticeable rich golden brown plumage, promptly went wild in her grasp. It was also still emitting Sun Flames from its entire body, but only in quick bursts now with long intervals in between, tiring quickly but still fighting like hell to be free. The golden flames were weak and barely held any heat, and for a small bird that was only perhaps a bit larger than the palm of her hand, it was struggling quite fiercely, tearing into her unprotected arms and hands with sharp claws and hooked beak. To Haru's credit, she merely drew the shrieking, heaving avian closer to her chest, ignoring the thin, jagged lines of red that were starting to decorate her forearms and fingers at an alarming rate, as well as the desperately beating wings in her face.

"Shh…shh. It's okay, it's okay," Haru reassured the frantic animal in a quick whisper. She held the bird loosely, not enough to hinder its movements, but firmly enough so that she would not drop it by accident. She could feel the little thing's heart beating frantically against its chest, and Haru did her best to exude a feeling of calmness to the frantic animal, whispering assurances the entire way.

Eventually, the bird quit its struggles, though Haru knew better than to think that it was due to her influence. It was most likely exhausted beyond belief, its beak open as it panted furiously. It wasn't screaming anymore, and when Haru looked down, she saw a pair of bright golden eyes staring glazedly back at her.

Belphegor moved towards her then, arms crossed over his chest as he looked at the now quiet animal. Now that it was keeping still, the golden-haired man had no trouble identifying just what species of bird it was.

"Sparviero del Sole," he mused almost to himself in surprise, and when the frazzled-looking Haru looked at him quizzically, he translated. "That's the Sun Sparrow Hawk you are holding on to. And that also explains why it's a complete nutcase."

The last sentence was spoken in a low mutter, not meant for Haru to hear, but she did all the same.

"What do you mean?"

"You are not equipped to deal with this bird."

Haru scowled, not liking to be told what she could or could not do. "Why not?"

"It's a hunter and very instinct-driven, and does not adjust well to captivity. I'm surprised that the creators of the box weapons actually made a weapon out of it."

That explained her bird's crazed desire to escape, the panic and fear that ruled its mind as it tried so desperately for freedom.

"It should be easy to force it back into its box now," the golden-haired Prince continued blithely. "It is exhausted and has no strength left to fight-"

"No," Haru blurted out immediately, inexplicably distressed by his intention. "No."

She looked down at her Sparrow Hawk. "It doesn't like the box- it—he has been in there for a long time, and he's scared and lonely—he doesn't want to go in there ever again and I promised that I won't put him in. I guess that means we are stuck with each other."

Haru sounded hesitant at first, unsure, but by the end of her small speech, she seemed to have come to a decision herself, and looked determined to stick by it.

Belphegor looked at her skeptically, his gaze lingering pointedly on the small wounds on her hands. Haru narrowed her eyes at him, almost daring him to deny her.

She was undeniably alluring when she was being all fierce and overprotective, her chin tilted up challengingly, a fire in her eyes and a mulish stance that implied she wasn't about to give way gracefully this time around. He had an urge to refuse her just so that he could drag her to the bedroom and settle things there—she would fight him tooth and nail for sure, and sex with her was always exhilarating, even more so when she was hissing and spitting under him, her nails raking down his back and her lithe, sleek body struggling against his for dominance.

He would never let her win, of course, but god, did he encourage her to try.

It was amazing how the minds of men worked. The Storm Varia toyed briefly with the pleasant sexual fantasy of dominating his sometimes reluctant lover before dismissing it regretfully. As of now, her thoughts and mind were distracted by that box animal of hers, and that was simply unacceptable.

She was only allowed to think of one thing when they were in bed—him. Her thoughts and senses should be filled with nothing but him alone—he would allow no less, admittedly selfish bastard that he was. There was just no way that he, a purebred Prince, would allow himself to lose to some crazy bird, never mind the fact that he could be even more demented himself at times.

Belphegor looked away at last, a bit irritated. He should never have given her the box weapon in the first place.

"Do as you wish," he groused, and Haru was almost surprised that she had gotten her way so easily.

Holding her Sparrow Hawk in her arms, she stared almost incredulously at her lover. Her exaggerated look of disbelief irritated him enough to change his mind regarding the matter, but before he could do so, she smiled joyfully at him.

It was a genuine expression of sincerity and gratefulness and delight; the stubborn look in her eyes had softened and was now bright with happiness, her smile sweet and almost shy in its pureness. Belphegor could say for certain that this was the first time he was on the receiving end of this particular look of hers—most of the time, she was either yelling angrily at him for being a pervert or trying to beat him off her with a proverbial stick—and so it was his turn to stare.

This was a side of her that he had never seen before, and it was really no surprise that he was quite fascinated by the faint blush that dusted her cheeks, the look of joy on her face. It went to the point whereby Haru was beginning to feel quite self conscious about the way he was looking at her, not that he cared, of course.

Still, that small, sweet smile of hers never faded.

"Thank you."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Well, I'm happy I managed to keep my promise this time. Hope you guys enjoyed the read!

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For those who require extra confirmation, _Sparviero del Sole_, or the Sun Flame Sparrow Hawk, is a box weapon that I have created out of my own imagination. The _Sparviero del Sole_ is not canon. I thought that it would be quite fitting for Haru to own a sparrow hawk familiar, but do not worry, she is unlikely to become some super-powered box weapon specialist because of this. Her Hawk isn't very powerful actually, just a rank C box weapon that Belphegor had decided to give her as a form of protection in light of her kidnapping incident. With proper training and some getting used to, Haru should be able to work with her box animal and hopefully fend off any potential attackers temporarily until aid arrives.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

--sllebswap


	16. Chapter 16

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6344

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 30/05/10

**

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**Chapter Sixteen**

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Only a week had passed since she had unlocked her Sparrow Hawk from its box and still, Haru was struggling to get used to caring for her box animal. There was progress, but small and minute and it only came between long intervals of hard work and unending patience with the wild, skittish avian.

The golden brown Accipiter was one of the smallest species of its kind but empowered with Sun Flames and the keen intelligence of a raptorial predator, it was highly unpredictable and was therefore quite dangerous at times. The animal's unstable temperament and wary, distrustful demeanor meant that it often acted out at the slightest hint of provocation, exploding into violence and lashing out with fine, needle-sharp talons and hooked beak at the nearest source of its agitation.

Not surprisingly, Haru bore the brunt of the bird's attacks, and the numerous band aids wrapped around her fingers as well as the long, thin lines of cuts that decorated her forearms hinted at her struggle in taming her hawk.

Lussuria was a good help, thankfully so, and had been delighted when he learned that she possessed the same type of flame as he did. He had also kindly given her a crash course on the attributes of the Sun Flame as well as the typical characteristics of the box animals that shared their flame, though from what Haru had seen so far, her Sparrow Hawk did not seem to possess any of the calm, sedate temperament or gentle healing properties that characterized most of the Sun Flame box weapons.

Her bird was fierce and untamed and belligerent, and if not for the fact that it was irrevocably bound to her, Haru was certain that it would have tried to escape a long time ago. But Lussuria had explained to her that the box animals fed off the dying will flames of their owners in order to survive outside their boxes, and since it had bonded itself to Haru, it was impossible for her hawk to leave her.

And because she was untrained and had so little of the dying will flames to spare, her hawk also had to be fed an additional supplement of real food in order remain outside its box like it was so determined to do so. The Sun Unit Commander had marveled, intrigued, over how exactly Haru had managed to summon the Rank C box weapon with such a weak flame—she could barely manifest the flames physically even when she had concentrated hard—and at last hypothesized that she must have had an affinity with this particular animal to have brought it out through sheer will alone.

Haru knew that wasn't the case though. Her hawk had been driven to desperation to escape the confines that it had been trapped in for god knew how long, and it had simply grabbed the first opportunity it could to leave its box. That had happened to be her feeble offering of weak dying will flames and the raptorial avian had latched onto it the very first chance it had. And so she now had a violent, unstable animal with an anxiety disorder that depended on her care to survive, and for the life of her, despite how difficult and tedious it was turning out to be looking after an irritable bird of prey who had no qualms attacking the hand that fed it, despite how she wished at times that her box animal could be as docile and obedient as Lussuria's Sun Peacock or even Bel's Storm Mink, Haru was not quite ready to give up and label her bird a lost cause just yet.

She was making progress, she knew it. It was slow and inconsistent and almost unnoticeable, but it was undeniably there. It would take patience and dedication to rightfully earn the trust of her wary hawk, but Haru steadfastly refused to quit. Surely Tsuna and the other Guardians had to endure even more arduous trials than what she was facing now; if she gave up this easily, then Haru felt that she did not deserve to own a box animal, let alone carry the title as a member of the Vongola Decimo's Famiglia with her head held high.

By the sidelines, Lussuria watched bemused as the young woman handled her Sparrow Hawk with gentle hands as the bird shrieked like a banshee, demanding rather impatiently to be fed. Digging its claws into her unprotected flesh as it soared down from a nearby perch and landed on her forearm, it easily kept its balance with the help of its long tail feathers, stretching its wings to their full length and flapping them threateningly, trying to look bulky and intimidating as it continued to scream at its handler for food.

Haru hardly winced at the small Accipiter's aggressive actions. She also took great care not to startle it by making any sudden movements. The bird normally chose fight rather than flight when alarmed, and after being on the receiving end of a few of the avian's angry bursts of attacks, Haru was quickly learning the movements that were acceptable and those that weren't when it came to her Sparrow Hawk.

Physically, the bird was obviously in good health and more than equipped to hunt for itself. It was not caged nor its movements constrained in any way, and prey was not lacking amongst the rich forests that surrounded the Varia Castle, but for some reason unfathomable to the humans, the animal chose only to accept fresh meat from Haru. Mealtimes were the only instances where the wary animal would approach its owner, and even then it was completely feral, kicking up a racket and snatching pieces of raw chicken greedily from the fingers of its provider, more often than not sparing no regard to notice the difference between the food and the bloodied digits of its owner.

But still, Haru voiced no complaints, nor did she react to the Hawk's messy, selfish, feeding habits with violence, or even fear. She endured the feeding frenzies of her small, winged terror at least thrice a day, understanding that the avian depended solely on her to survive, and therefore only watched her Sparrow Hawk with a gentle, accepting gaze as it tore savagely into its meals.

It figured that of all the Sun attribute box weapons that Belphegor could bring back for Haru, it just had to be the one that resembled him in personality the most.

The fact that his lover had received the wildness of the bird with unprejudiced acceptance spoke for Haru's patient and tolerant nature, well hidden behind her bluster and upbeat personality. Bel was easily just as selfish a bastard as that Sparrow Hawk; Lussuria could clearly see from previous instances that the younger Storm Unit Commander was not pleased to share his lover's attention with the bird. He was also quietly amused by how Haru had simply taken the additional complications of both irritable males in stride and went on with her life; truly, the petite, pretty young woman was really something else altogether.

Lussuria continued to observe as the trainee box weapon wielder slowly but surely calmed the frenzied senses of her small Accipiter with her sedate, unthreatening demeanor. The sleek looking hawk with the rich golden brown plumage and the sharp gold eyes settled down eventually, reluctantly hunkering down on its handler's forearm as Haru continued to stuff pieces of chicken down its demanding throat. It was no longer as wild or crazed when compared to the first few days Haru had tentatively began to interact with it, but it was still far from tame. The gradual change in the bird's temperament was visible enough to be taken note of, and Lussuria wondered if Haru was able to sense that the small bird of prey had taken to following her around the castle nowadays.

For someone who wasn't a fighter, Haru-chan sure had her own way of dealing with the more aggressive, problematic males around her.

Movement across the courtyard that they were currently in quickly drew the Sun Unit Commander from his thoughts, and he shifted slightly just in time to see Belphegor stalk into sight. The golden-haired royal's attention fell briefly on Haru before he gazed upon his fellow Varia. Lussuria gave the younger man a small grin and a flamboyant wave before he turned and disappeared back into the castle, his guarding duties complete now that the blonde had returned from his assignment.

Haru could handle Belphegor, Lussuria knew. She was getting so proficient at it that it was only a matter of time before she had him wrapped around her little finger. Lussuria's grin widened at that amusing notion, and the colorful man chuckled outright.

Oho, he would definitely pay to see that!

* * *

Haru watched her hawk as it gobbled up the last piece of meat. The bird ignored her completely but Haru didn't mind. She was strangely content and pleased that her box animal was beginning to trust her enough to perch on her arm and had quit screeching threateningly at her like it had the past few days. That was progress, and Haru was glad for it.

The small, sleek Accipiter tensed suddenly though, head swiveling sharply, its powerful eyesight quickly picking up minute movements that it focused on with fierce intent. Another human approached; golden-haired, powerful aura, the offensive smell of predator, the deadly, dangerous prowl that made the bird's natural instincts shrill with alarm.

Without warning, the small Sparrow Hawk immediately launched itself into the air, shrieking with displeasure, a brief, near blinding burst of Sun Flames flaring from its whole body as it flapped its wings furiously and quickly gained altitude, gracefully landing on a branch high up on a nearby tree.

Coming to a stop a few meters before Haru, Belphegor snorted.

"That bird of yours is a coward and a waste of space," the Prince remarked quite scornfully, and sure enough, Haru promptly stiffened with outrage.

"He's not a coward," she defended immediately. "He's scared and doesn't trust easily."

Belphegor paused at her fierce reply. And smirked.

"Coward," he repeated again, and in return, Haru growled at him. Her brief, _private_ interaction with her box animal was now abruptly over thanks to her pain in the butt lover, and after a quick glance at the hawk to make sure that it was safe and well situated—it was, and was only moderately ruffled—Haru picked up the small, now empty container that she had used to store the chicken pieces in and started the walk to the castle.

Belphegor fell into step beside her, and at last, she gave him a reluctant sideways glance. He looked like he was in quite a good mood, and it didn't take a genius to derive why. The mission that he had gone on three days ago must have been a successful one, and needless to say, he must have gotten to spill some blood. As usual, he looked to be in perfect health, immaculately dressed and every bit the aristocratic, royal assassin that he was.

And of course, the first thing he did after he got his jollies killing people was to bother her.

Haru was not too concerned though. At the moment, she was more preoccupied looking for a bathroom to wash her hands and tend to the small scratches on her forearms. The thin lines of blood were starting to dry up and scab over, but Haru would need to make sure that there was no dirt or other bacteria present that would cause an infection. Haru intended to head down to the dungeons, using the generous bathroom there to clean her wounds before returning to her work on the servers. It was only mid-afternoon; she could still put in a few more hours of work before calling it a day.

Before she could turn down the hallway that would bring her to the underground vaults, Belphegor blocked her way.

"Where do you think you are going?" he asked.

She frowned at him.

"I need to get cleaned up, and then I need to finish my work," she replied quite pointedly. Bel's smirk merely widened.

"What a coincidence; I need to get cleaned up too."

He didn't sound all that surprised, and merely grabbed her wrist and started to lead her down another hallway. Haru protested, resisting slightly.

"Let go! I have things to do in the dungeons!"

"You can do them after you tend to my needs first," he retorted calmly, and it wasn't difficult to catch what he meant. Haru's cheeks tinted pink at his insinuation, but surprisingly enough, she did not yell at him for being a pervert as she usually did.

Belphegor pulled her towards his wing of the castle, and before long they were in his bedroom. He released her and started to remove his clothes, leaving a trail of fabric as he started towards the bathroom. When he noticed that Haru was just standing there, he stalked back to her, completely nude by then and being utterly shameless about it as well, she noted disgruntledly, and started to strip her out of her clothing.

"Bel!" she exclaimed, trying to slap his hands away but to little avail. "Go bathe by yourself!"

He ignored her halfhearted struggles and eventually, she was just as naked as he was. Haru was no longer embarrassed to be seen by the blonde in the nude anymore, and gave him a good glare when he continued to tow her into the bathroom.

"Shower first, fuck later," he replied shortly as he pushed her into the large shower stall before stepping in after her, and without further ado, turned on the water at full blast. Haru yelped in surprise when the lukewarm water hit her unsuspecting skin, but wasn't given time to yell at Bel for it when the man in question proceeded to drag her close to him and kiss her hard. Haru reacted on pure instinct; she closed her eyes and relaxed against the toned, sleek chest of her lover, tilting her face up upwards and kissing him back as best as she could. She wasn't as aggressive as he was, allowing him to take the lead though she was no slouch either—quietly, gently caressing his lips with hers, her hands coming up to curl against his biceps, utterly willing in every way as warm water pounded down on them.

Belphegor felt himself react to the softness of his partner almost immediately; he hadn't touched her for days and was raring to go. She didn't seem to mind the growing erection that prodded insistently against her belly as he leaned slightly into her, and merely sighed against his mouth.

The blonde pulled away before he could consider taking her in the shower stall, backing her against the wall and hooking her legs around his waist as he slid home into her again and again. Instead, Haru was bewildered when he merely reached over her head to grab a shampoo bottle, flicked open the cover with a twist of his fingers and then proceeded to pour a decent amount of it on her head. She blinked in surprise when he returned the container to the shelf and proceeded to lather her hair. He wasn't being particularly gentle, but he got the job done. She looked up at him. His hair obscured his eyes as usual, even though the normally burnished gold strands were now a darker shade and completely drenched. His wiry, muscular form pressed lightly against her, and Haru watched him for awhile before she decided to reciprocate his actions.

They had most definitely never done this before—bathe together—and as Haru pressed a handful of shower foam into her palm, she really did not know what to make of Belphegor's intentions. Her hands were uncertain at first when she rubbed the liquid soap against her lover's chest but she quickly grew more confident when he did not seem to object to her ministrations. Very soon, she was focused on the simple task of lathering up Belphegor, and unlike his not-so-tender actions with her scalp, she was attentive and gentle, her smaller hands gliding over the slippery planes of his hard body with undisguised curiosity and a rather amusing seriousness to get her task completed.

It was certainly the first time she had taken such an overt interest in his physique and that did not escape the blonde's notice.

"Like what you see?" he asked silkily, preening unashamedly before the smaller female. Haru sputtered, her cheeks turning red.

"It's not as if I haven't seen you naked before," she muttered snappily back, clearly embarrassed but not enough to quit what she was doing. "Turn around and let me do your back too," she demanded next, determined to do a thorough job of scrubbing him clean, and surprisingly enough, he obeyed her, smirking the entire way. With a generous layer of shampoo suds decorating her hair like a ridiculous hat, he wondered if she knew just how hilarious she looked, especially when she was being bossy.

The Varia assassin reached out for more shampoo and proceeded to lazily lather up his own hair. His lover's careful tending felt good—she was easing away the knots of stress from his shoulders, leftover from his earlier mission, expertly coaxing his tensed muscles to loosen up and relax before she briskly and no-nonsensely soaped up the rest of his body. He had washed away the shampoo on his head by then and turned back to face her, pressing her up against the wall of the shower stall and caging her in with his arms.

"My turn," he informed her with husky pleasure, and she stared at him, making no move to hinder him when he pressed a handful of foam from another bottle and proceeded to slowly, languorously spread the sudsy mess over her chest. Her eyes, startled at first, darkened slightly as she watched him touch her, his nimble fingers deliberately rubbing against her sensitive nipples even as he was leaning down towards her with every intention to latch his mouth onto the side of her delectable neck. She allowed him to do so, a small, quiet moan slipping past her lips as his hands continued to draw all sorts of sensual designs over her torso. He nipped the edge of her jawbone lightly before taking a sip from her soft skin, drinking in the droplets of water that ran in rivulets over her smooth complexion. She shuddered lightly under him, against him, turning her face distractedly into his neck and brushing her lips softly against his collarbone.

He growled.

She was pliant and willing and he was eager to have her. He didn't have the patience to attend to her slowly, and quickly lathered her up with jerky, hurried movements. He slowed down significantly when his fingers brushed against the sensitive region between her legs, and she whimpered quietly when he nudged against her there, rubbing his fingers suggestively against her aroused flesh, coaxing her to part her legs a bit more so that he could cup her with his hand and slide his fingers into her moist, needy body.

Haru struggled slightly to accommodate the taller male's unspoken demands, going on tiptoes and leaning into him for support even as he pulled one of her legs over his lean hips and held it there, pressing in even closer to her. The brunette moaned her lover's name softly when he pleasured her with his fingers, squirming against him and panting against his neck, her eyes glazed with lust.

Belphegor was in no better condition. His erection was beginning to become downright uncomfortable and he felt the urge to sheathe himself within Haru as soon as possible. She was already damp from his ministrations, not quite as sleek as she could become, but barely enough to accommodate him. He pulled away from her abruptly, much to her grunt of displeasure, and quickly washed all the soap suds off her. Then he turned off the water and pulled her dripping wet out of the shower stall, and instead of drying them both with towels situated conveniently at the shelves, he tugged her towards the large bathtub/Jacuzzi that occupied a significant portion of the bathroom. It was already filled to the brim with warm water, ready to be used, though Haru paused uncertainly when he gestured for her to get in.

"We will do it here," he confirmed in a rough, almost impatient tone as he slid into the bubbling waters and tugged his lover in as well. He didn't think he could wait any longer, though Haru resisted slightly.

"Here?" she echoed unsurely.

"Yes," he hissed and all but dragged her to him, an arm locked around her slender waist even as he positioned her in place on his lap and with little preamble, guided himself into her.

Haru drew a sharp breath as the blonde hilted himself in her with a quick, hard, upward thrust. Her hands flew up automatically to rest on his shoulders, her fingers clutching onto him at the pleasurable sensation, her body arching into his through sheer instinct, trying to take as much of him into her as physically possible. A shaky moan escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered closed, her face flushing, a soft contrast to her rosy, kiss reddened lips.

The warm, frothing water felt absolutely divine against her highly sensitized skin, and the way Bel was touching her only amplified the wonderfully decadent sensation. His fingers had found their way between her thighs, those long digits of his lazily stroking her clitoris even as she clenched tightly around his rigid form, her sexy, husky keen reverberating through the bathroom.

Belphegor licked his lips. Her small, modest breasts were in his direct line of sight, and he saw no reason not to indulge in those taut little pink nipples of hers, hardened and beaded from arousal. The blonde leaned forward and licked an areola with a rough tongue before drawing it into his mouth, sucking hard and forcing Haru to press herself even closer to him, abandoning her hold on his shoulders as her arms came up and wrapped themselves protectively around his head.

She was curled into him, lightheaded with lust, quivering against him as he moved his hands to span her waist, easily lifting her off his arousal, his mouth never leaving her nipple the entire while. She gasped shakily at the friction his movement caused and felt the tip of his hard penis rubbing against the entrance of her core as he deliberately teased her. Haru's reaction was pretty straightforward, all things considered. She tugged sharply at his hair when she had had enough and could all but feel that hyena grin of his spreading against her breast at her impatience—she wanted him and she wanted him now!

He indulged her, and without warning, let her go, allowing her to press back down on his erection.

Haru shuddered as she felt him slide all the way in, and Bel finally deigned to release her poor, reddened nipple with a loud 'pop.'

He chuckled softly, huskily, leaning back slightly on the seat of the Jacuzzi to have a proper look at his aroused lover. She was glorious like this, her nubile body sleek and wet, steam wrapped around her straining, sexually charged form, a far cry from the mischievous and innocent-looking young woman that she usually showed the world. It pleased him to be the only one to see this wanton, all too sexual side of her, and it seemed that the more they had sex, the less shy she got around him. She was slowly becoming bolder, more willing to explore his body, and as long as she showed her interest to him and him alone, he welcomed her curiosity, this delicious little pet of his.

The golden-haired Varia reached out towards his woman. His long, artist's fingers trailed along the edge of her jawbone before he brushed his thumb against her full lips. She trembled at his focused, intent demeanor, mesmerizing doe-brown eyes half-lidded and smoky. The fallen Prince slipped his index and middle fingers into her mouth, and she let him, her soft tongue rubbing against his digits even as she instinctively began to suck on them, wrapping those luscious, tantalizing lips around his fingers, humming a seductive moan in her throat as she did so.

It was a damn arousing sight.

Belphegor smirked, his fingers sliding slowly out of her rosy mouth, his gaze riveted on her dazed, beautiful features.

"Fuck me, little sparrow," he purred, and with mesmerizing shyness, she slowly responded to his challenge.

She was hesitant at first, having never been given the chance to take control whenever they had sex, but she was a quick learner and it wasn't long before her curious, experimental movements yielded a pace that satisfied the both of them. And when an accidental wriggle of her hips made him growl all the more lustfully at her, Haru learned just how thrilling it felt to be at the very center of Bel's attention, his hands lingering on her slender thighs, his fingers stroking the sensitive insides of her legs approvingly as she moved over him, feeling completely feminine and empowered and heady with desire for her golden-haired lover.

It felt so much more intimate with him this time around—he was between her legs and what they were doing now wasn't much different from what they always did, but somehow, she felt closer to Bel than she ever had before. Panting softly, the pretty brunette leaned trustingly into her powerful, assassin lover, her head lowered, face pressed against the side of his neck as she lifted and dropped herself on his turgid length. She squeezed him tightly as she straddled him, pulling back slowly only after she had wrapped his entire length within her, repeating the sinful action again and again. Her sleek, supple muscles clasped onto him like a snug, velvety fist every time she moved against him, her soft, moist mouth pressed against the taut, corded place where his shoulder met his neck, restlessly scraping her teeth against his flesh, nipping and sucking hard, eliciting a pleasured grunt from him.

His hands had crept back to span her waist by then, and it wasn't long before he grew impatient with the slow pace that she was setting. A brief, hard squeeze to her middle was all the warning she received before he abruptly took over. With a strength that belied his wiry form, he easily lifted her clear off him, flipped her over, and bent her over the edge of the Jacuzzi. Without pause, the Storm Flame Wielder urgently mounted his lover from behind, a strong, thin arm wrapped tightly around her waist as he thrust into her smoothly.

Her faint, shaky moan was music to his ears, and in his excitement, he bit her hard in the shoulder even as he ground his hips into hers. Haru stiffened under him as he stretched possessively over her smaller body, a hand creeping up to tangle amongst her hair, tugging her head back towards him as he started to rock against her in earnest, his mouth catching hers in a fierce, wild kiss. Surprisingly enough, she fought him for control, twisting and straining against him as she struggled to give as good as she got. The mad, elated grin that stretched across his face as a result would have frightened her months ago, but now, at this precise moment, she merely reveled in the pleasure that he gave her, pushing impatiently back against him like a feisty, untamed filly, demanding, challenging him.

He answered her in his usual brusque, almost violent manner. His hand moved down to her waist; long, thin fingers digging unapologetically into her hips to hold her in place, teeth latching onto the back of her neck whereas the other reached further down between her thighs, forcing her to part her legs further as he rubbed that sensitive spot that made her pant and buck against him. He started to move in earnest then, angling his own narrow hips against her softer, rounder ones in sharp, forceful thrusts, the wet, erotic sounds of their vigorous mating loud and echoing in the large, extravagant bathroom, egging him on and stirring him into a lustful frenzy for the small, passionate female he had caught under him.

Haru panted and mewed with desperate anticipation when she felt the familiar onset of a powerful climax, the liquid warmth in her very core spreading and growing in intensity even as her body started to tense in preparation to receive the sinful pleasure that her golden-haired lover was about to gift her. Her fingers turned white as she clutched tightly at the edge of the Jacuzzi, and as usual, Belphegor quickly proved to be too much for her overloaded senses to handle. The combination of the skillful, relentless ministrations of his talented fingers against her slick, sensitive folds as well as the way he easily filled her to fullness every time he drove home into her snug channel quickly convinced Haru to gladly succumb to the shuddering, all-consuming orgasm that crashed over her. She breathlessly cried out his name as she arched tightly into him like a cat in heat, and tried her best to keep him inside her.

Her strong inner muscles started to spasm helplessly around his hard length, and the heady sensation she wrought in him was so exquisitely gratifying that it quickly convinced him to bury himself deep within her to fully enjoy the way she was trying her best to milk his essence from him, and moments later, a rough, pleasured growl was the only sound he emitted when he gave in to the very convincing persuasions of her sweet, addictive body. Haru had gone limp and weak-kneed by the time Belphegor found his release inside her, circling tightly against her hips even as he supported most of her weight with an arm wrapped around her waist. His face was pressed into the nape of her neck as he continued to coat her womb with his climax, the sound of his escalated breathing close by her ear as he held her in place beneath him.

They will still joined together when he finally allowed her to slip back into the warm, frothing waters of the Jacuzzi, hovering possessively over her as they re-submerged themselves in the luxurious hot tub. Haru could feel her body melting with lazy contentment as the bubbling waters closed over her, and shivered slightly when Bel's fingers drew absent patterns against the sensitive insides of her thigh. Her eyes fluttered shut even as her racing heart slowly returned to normal, and she relaxed against her dangerous lover, surprisingly enough, not attempting to get away from him like she had always done in the past.

He chuckled quietly against her neck, and then promptly nipped at her collarbone. She started, sleepy doe eyes half-lidded and languid as they turned to watch him. The small beads of water droplets that nestled amongst her dense eyelashes added on to the allure of her nymph-like appearance. She looked well sated and comfortable and _beautiful_.

He grinned.

"You are still my best fuck," he purred salaciously against her soft, supple skin, and Haru slowly became rigid as she processed his comment. His unspoken implication was clear, and against her will, the brunette started to bristle with affront.

"I don't want to know," she snapped out curtly. And she really didn't. She did not want to think about the other women whom Belphegor was sleeping with at the moment, excluding herself. Even though they had never really gotten around to discussing this particular topic before, Haru found herself increasingly agitated at the thought of the golden-haired prince gracing the beds of other women whenever he left the castle on assignments.

The lazy, contented glow that came from the aftermath of their rough, frantic sex disappeared quickly as the brunette started to get more and more riled up. Blatantly ignoring the growing twinge of upset that occupied a sizeable portion of her chest, she scowled at him.

"If you are having other women on the side too, it's only fair if I have the same freedom as you," she sounded disgruntled and rather determined to get her way too, almost as if she was about to run off that very second to recruit herself another lover.

Surprisingly enough, Belphegor did not appear threatened. If anything, the Storm Varia seemed quite amused, and that infernal grin on his face spoke as much.

"And who in this small castle would you take as a paramour? Levi? Fran?" the blonde was derisively dismissive of his potential 'rivals,' and Haru was immediately obligated to defend the other Varia whom she had worked with on and off the past months.

"Hey! Levi-san and Fran-san have been very nice to me!"

She was squirming out from his grasp, attempting to extricate herself from him, something that he easily prevented by trapping her body between a corner of the Jacuzzi and himself. A frustrated look crossed her rather pretty face when she realized that he wouldn't let her go until he was well and ready to do so, and she gave him a good glare.

He smiled lazily at her, undaunted.

"But 'nice' does not necessarily correlate to fuckable, hmm?"

Haru had no answer to that, and merely narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why must you always insist on being so vulgar?" she demanded quite unhappily against his chest.

His smile widened.

"Do I offend you, little sparrow?" He didn't sound like he cared one way or another. Haru scowled at him, but refused to dignify his comment with a reply.

He was undaunted by her silence. He leaned closer to her, so much so that they were nearly nose to nose with each other.

"And the notion that I might be sleeping with other women upsets you," he continued to comment quite amusedly, and Haru started to stiffen again.

"I don't find this funny at all," she remarked in a tone sharp that spoke much of her displeasure about the matter. "And I don't want to talk about this anymore."

He seemed to be finding great joy in her miserable countenance.

"Oh? You don't want to know if I have been fucking around behind your back?" His deliberately innocent statement made her bristle. Unexplainably hurt by his teasing, cruel remarks, she snapped.

"If you have that many lovers, then quit antagonizing me and just go to them. Leave me alone," she lashed out angrily. Her hands came up to his chest and she tried to shove him off her but to no avail. Haru growled. "And let me go!"

She was becoming increasingly agitated, and for a brief moment, he said nothing, merely watched her in an almost detached, clinical manner, the expression on his face oddly neutral as he viewed the array of emotions that ran across her expressive features.

Then, he gave her a small smirk.

"Heh. You are jealous."

He sounded ridiculously pleased by his discovery, and Haru was immediately on the defensive.

"I'm not!" she burst out unhappily. He was putting her in a position that she did not care to be in, both figuratively and literally, and she wanted out, pronto. The fact that he was cackling away like a crazed hyena was not helping matters whatsoever. "Belphegor, let go of me!"

"No." His faint chuckles slowly gave way to a perfectly serious tone that she had seldom heard him use. "I don't settle for second best. I will not let you go."

Haru could only stare at him, surprised by the absolute, almost curt, vehemence in his speech. This was certainly something unexpected, and she really wasn't quite sure how to react to his declaration. But he was not done yet. That small smile on his face stretched to a wide, almost crazed grin.

"You are mine for now, little sparrow, just as my undivided attention is yours. You should feel honored, hmm? You won't have to compete with other women to have me."

Haru twitched at his arrogance, though at the same time, there was no denying how the pressure against her chest seemed to have eased off somewhat at his casual admission. Her feelings were always so chaotic whenever it came to him, and Haru frowned, simply unwilling to decipher what her emotions were trying to tell her. She really did not want to think too much when it came to this…relationship she had with the good-looking Storm Unit Commander, especially when it seemed at times that she was already beginning to care too much.

Haru gave herself a firm mental shake. Then, she scowled at Belphegor.

"You are impossible!"

"No, I'm not," he retorted silkily, his hand slipping under the frothing water, the tips of his fingers sliding suggestively against the sleek flesh between her legs. "I'm only horny as hell."

Haru flushed at his shameless admission, but could barely bite back a reluctant moan when he slipped a long digit into her moist, tight channel. She was deliciously wet from his seed and trembled finely against him as he stroked her leisurely, almost lazily. Her hips bucked helplessly into his hand and before long, she was softly pliant and willing under him once more, and he was only too glad to take what she offered—and more.

The golden-haired assassin of the Varia held his lover tightly by the waist even as he resettled himself possessively between her thighs.

"You are not going back to work today," he hissed lustily against her neck. Haru shuddered slightly before her hands came up instinctively to rest upon his shoulders, holding him close. He grinned savagely.

"You are not leaving my side until I have my fill of you."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Haru's Sparrow Hawk is basically still a feral beast and obviously not quite right in the head. Since Haru is not a fighter, there really isn't much she can do about the behavior of her box animal but show patience and tolerance in her interactions with the bird. Hopefully, her Sparrow Hawk would become more docile as it gets used to Haru, but until then, she would just have to deal with its random panic attacks.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

And yeah, for the readers who weren't quite sure what the last part was about, well, it's just Bel being his usual taunting, arrogant self. The fact that Haru could show jealousy over their eccentric relationship amuses and pleases him alternatively, but he did choose in the end to reassure her that she's the only one he's with at the moment.

Draw your own conclusions, ladies!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5569

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 05/06/10

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Chapter Seventeen

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That stupid woman named her bird after him.

Bel returned from a mission one day just in time to hear her call out to that featherbrained waste of space that was her box animal, and had been, understandably, less than pleased with the dubious honor.

"What did you just say?" he had demanded out of nowhere, startling Haru in the process. She had not detected his presence before he chose to reveal himself, and her heart raced with shock as she spun sharply from the base of the tall fir tree that she had been standing to scowl at him.

"Eek- Bel! Stop scaring me like that!" she had yelled at him when she finally identified him, irritated, but he ignored her.

"You gave that useless bird of yours my name," he continued flatly, clearly just as annoyed.

Haru merely frowned at the taller blonde, and at the same time, gave up on coaxing her huffy Sparrow Hawk down from the tall branches it was currently perched in. Her bird did not like Belphegor at all and that sentiment was heartily reciprocated by her Varia lover. And now that Bel was here, there was no way that her small, highly wary accipiter would come to her.

The brunette placed her hands on either side of her hips and gave Bel a frustrated stare.

"Why are you back so early?" she merely asked. At the same time, Haru turned and started to head back into the castle. "Aren't you supposed to be out on an assignment still?"

He ignored her question, but kept up easily with her pace as they left the courtyard.

"The bird," he insisted somewhat irritably, determined to pursue that particular subject.

"What about it?" she gave up and asked, though quite aware of the reason behind his discontentment. The look he shot her from behind his veil of tousled blonde hair told her clearly that he was not impressed by her deliberate obtuseness, and that made her feel a bit amused.

"I don't see why I can't name my Sparrow Hawk whatever I wish," she continued blithely, much to his rather visible tick of irritation. "And besides, you gave him to me, and the two of you are more similar than you think."

By now, the royal member of the Varia looked so offended by her observations that Haru was hard pressed not to burst into outright laughter. Carefully maintaining the innocent expression on her face, Haru ventured. "Well, you are both irritable and violent and antisocial—and yes, you are antisocial—you have all the symptoms, Bel."

He smiled dangerously at her.

"I will show you antisocial," he threatened _almost_ pleasantly, but by now, Haru was already more or less used to the behavior of the lanky blonde striding beside her, and in her current playful, teasing mood, merely stuck her tongue out at him, a carefree reaction that was reminiscent of a time when she was younger.

The Prince stared at her briefly in surprise, and then his smile changed, became a bit sly. Before she could prepare for what was to come, he _pounced_. He was on her in the blink of an eye, pushing her up against the nearest wall, his lean, hard body covering hers, his mouth finding hers with unerring accuracy, latching on possessively as he kissed her hard, almost as if he was intent on sucking the very soul out of her body.

Momentarily taken aback by his sudden change in temperament, Haru recovered promptly within moments and could only kiss him back with equal fervor, a soft thrum of amusement tickling her throat, her hand coming up to the back of his head, her fingers tangling amongst his rich golden hair. The way his mouth moved over hers made her knees go weak, and her eyes fluttered shut as a familiar feeling of contentment rushed into the region of her chest, warming her cheeks and heightening her senses when it came to this man.

She had finally decided not to fight him when it came to this—this undeniable, overwhelming physical attraction that they shared—and was now quite pleased to feel so much more adjusted and at peace with her initially chaotic feelings, all of which had finally settled down now that she had come to terms with her strange relationship with Belphegor.

The golden-haired Storm Varia assassin ended the kiss just as abruptly as he had started it, drawing back slightly to look at her with an air of muted surprise surrounding him. Something about her had changed, and it was apparent in the way she was perfectly relaxed in his hold, in the way she was not protesting her position like she always did once he quit distracting her with whatever he was doing to her at the moment, in the way she was looking at him now with those large, clear eyes of hers, almost as if she could see into the very depths of his soul.

He concealed his disconcerting thoughts with his usual deviant smirk before he straightened slowly and moved away from her. She blinked up at him, the spell lost, but when he did not seem inclined to explain his strange behavior, she shook her head and gave up. Her lips still tingled from his kiss like they always did, but Haru distractedly pushed that thought aside. Since he did not seem to be paying any attention to her, she automatically resumed walking down the hallway again. He fell into step beside her, and for a brief moment, neither of them said anything. It was only when she was about to wander down a separate turn that would eventually lead to the dungeon vaults that his hand came up to her wrist, stopping her.

She looked at him, but without a word still, he started to lead her back toward his wing of the castle. Haru hesitated briefly before she followed. He was in an odd mood, and she wasn't sure what she thought of it. At last, they came to a stop outside her suite, and he turned to her.

"There's a dress on your bed. Change into it. The maids will help you. We leave in half an hour."

Haru stared at Bel.

"Wait; we are going out?" she asked.

He nodded, but she only frowned. Nobody had said anything about her going anywhere this morning at breakfast, so what was this about?

"Where are we going?" she enquired, even as he opened the door and started to push her in.

He swept her a mocking bow, to her surprise, the faint smirk on his lips never fading.

"Well, my fair lady, we are going to attend a ball, of course."

* * *

A little over an hour later saw Haru aboard a privately owned Bombardier jet as the aircraft continued to make a smooth ascent to a cruising altitude, still gawking not too subtly at her opulent surrounding. Today had certainly opened her eyes to the sheer extent of wealth that the Vongola Famiglia possessed, and something told Haru that she was just scratching the surface.

It was less than ten minutes ago when she had first learned that the Vongola owned their own private airstrip in Italy, just a mere fifteen miles away from the Varia Castle in fact, and there had looked to be at least two other large size jets parked right outside a hangar not far away when she had arrived at the airfield. The impressed woman barely had time to look around before she was escorted from the limousine to another idling jet nearby, this one bearing the proud crest of Belphegor's royal coat of arms on its tailfin, and before long, they were on the way—to where, Haru could only guess.

She would have asked right away if she wasn't still so keen on examining her new environment, her curious eyes running over the nineteen-seater aircraft, the interior of which was tastefully decorated with soothing neutral tones, the cream-colored seats large and spacious and upholstered with the highest quality leather, the flooring covered by plush carpets.

Polished wood panels ran gleaming alongside the walls and the ceilings of the expensive jet, and at the stern, there was a small dining/conference area and galley, which boasted a marble bar counter as well as various high-tech kitchen devices, further adding to the modern, sophisticated air of the airplane. Last but not least was the array of plasma display panels allotted to each seat, as well as the collection of expensive, state of the art audio/visual equipment and gadgets that made up the aircraft's entertainment system.

Needless to say, Haru felt completely out of place on board the $45 million-dollar jet, though sitting beside her on the leather settee, Bel looked completely at ease where he was, his royal heritage responsible for the sheer confidence that seemed to be seeping out from his very pores.

He snorted softly at her slightly nervous and awed expression.

"Quit gawking; you're behaving like the worst sort of country bumpkin," he commented at last, and she turned to scowl at him.

"Excuse me for being an average civilian who has never seen the inside of a private jet before!"

Bel shrugged. "Mere technicalities," he dismissed her reasoning with an arrogant wave of his hand. "And besides, you are no civilian. You are Vongola."

Haru gave him the evil eye, but nonetheless settled down reluctantly. She fingered the skirt of her dress, and not for the first time that night, wondered about the purpose behind her presence here.

She had been dressed in a pretty, white, strapless cocktail dress by Bel's efficient maids earlier at the castle. The small, formidable army of serving women had descended upon her the moment the blonde had pushed her none-too-gently into her suite, and had swiftly divested her of her casual wear before she could even protest, dressing her up like their Prince had dictated.

Haru was certain that she had never seen that piece of clothing before in her wardrobe, but still it fit her perfectly, the expensive material settling over her lithe, willowy form as if it was made just for her, light and airy, yet at the same time bringing emphasis to her narrow waist and fair complexion. The softly pleated skirt flowed past the gentle flare of her hips and down her legs, the hem flirting innocently just a few centimeters above her knees. A black ribbon sash was tied at her waist, the long, satiny ends trailing down her side with careless elegance, and last but not least, her feet were encased in stilettos that did wonders in boosting her height, the matching black ribbons on the gorgeous heels crisscrossing up the length of her feet before tying into tiny bows at the back of her ankles.

The maids had also brushed out her rich, mahogany hair, which had by now grown to shoulder length since her stay in Italy, until the strands gleamed with luster. They had also skillfully applied a light layer of makeup to her face, bringing subtle attention to her large eyes and delicate features. Haru wore no jewelry whatsoever, but evidently, her appearance was still presentable enough to satisfy Belphegor, for after a brief approving glance at her, he had promptly bundled her into the waiting limousine and they had set off from the castle with haste.

Belphegor, surprisingly enough, was also attired formally, for once not wearing the uniform that identified him as a core member of the Vongola's independent assassination squad. Dressed in unrelieved black, the smart formal suit and crisply pressed dress pants brought attention to his shoulders, narrow hips and lean figure. He looked every bit the aristocratic assassin that he was, a seductive combination of danger and elegance. He still wore the crown that proclaimed his status as Prince, and looked every inch a noble with royal blood coursing through his veins.

Watching him now from the corner of her eyes, Haru had to grudgingly admit that he was even more good-looking than usual, and when he caught her looking, his smirk was just downright irritating.

"Like what you see?" he leered, and almost immediately, his appeal dropped to somewhere around that of a hooligan, albeit a rather well-dressed one. Haru frowned, and then promptly changed the subject.

"You haven't told me where we are going," she pointed out sharply.

"I told you that we were attending a ball, didn't I?" he retorted smoothly. Her frown deepened.

"Where are the rest of the Varia then?" she asked. "Will they be meeting us there?"

"No, this does not concern the Varia."

Haru looked a bit confused then. "The Vongola, then?"

"No." He gave her a sideways glance, amused by her increasingly bewildered expression.

"Bel…" she drew out slowly, suspiciously. "Why am I here again?"

He leaned down towards her then, almost as if about to share a secret. She allowed him near her, until his mouth hovered over her ear. Unseen by her, his smirk turned into one of mischief.

"I needed an escort for this event, and you happened to be adequate."

It took Haru a good second or two to understand what he was talking about, and then she jerked back and gave him an incredulous stare.

"So you needed a date for a party and you just decided to drag me along?" Haru did not sound pleased. "Did it occur to you that I might have things to do back at the castle tonight, and most importantly, that I might not want to come?"

He gave her a careless shrug. "We are already halfway there, so that's a moot point now."

Haru fumed. He was so unbelievably arrogant sometimes! "And where exactly is 'there?'" Haru snapped.

"Well, it's not very far from here," he drew it out purposely, enjoying the growing look of displeasure on her face. "Just a little across Italy's border, over in our neighbor country, in fact."

Haru gave him a beady eyed stare, not amused.

"We are going to France." He quit baiting her at last. "To be more precise, Paris. Also known as the 'City of Love' by the common plebian masses. Comprendrez-vous?"

She had a faintly surprised expression on her face.

"France?" she mouthed quietly, clearly not expecting his answer.

He tilted his head slightly, observing her with a small smirk.

"Never been there before, have you? Aren't you glad you are coming along now?"

She gave him another glare, this one with a lot less heat. "That still does not make it right for you to make my decisions for me."

He was clearly unrepentant. "That is ridiculous. I'm a Prince; of course I can do whatever I want."

That was an argument Haru was not keen to get into. She never won whenever they talked about this and God knew she had tried. Unfortunately for her, Belphegor was just too narcissistic to reason with, and Haru knew a losing battle when she saw one.

"I'm not going to comment on that," she muttered in a not so flattering tone, but he was hardly offended.

"Why, that's quite generous of you." His sarcasm was almost undetectable, but she was unusually sensitive when it came to him and the glare she was wielding so expertly against him sharpened a tad. The fact that she was always quite willing to test those little claws of hers on him never failed to amuse him.

Haru decided she really didn't want to get into a screaming match with Belphegor fifty one thousand feet above sea level, and promptly changed the subject.

"What is this function about anyway?" she asked grudgingly. "What are my responsibilities? What am I expected to do?"

She was taking this as seriously as only she could, and an interesting realization occurred to him.

"You have done this before, haven't you?" he asked. "Moonlighting as a social escort? Does the Decimo know of your little side job?"

Haru promptly turned bright red at his amused tone.

"I'm not moonlighting as a social escort," she denied immediately in a near shout, offended. "I'm not even moonlighting at all!"

The skeptical expression on what she could see of his face told her that he wasn't buying her refutation. She growled irritably.

"I'm not lying! Look; I just help out Hayato occasionally whenever he needs a partner to accompany him to certain social events on behalf of Vongola and/or his family." A funny look crossed Haru's features, and she continued, disgruntled. "And I suppose I help out Takeshi too. And Ryohei sometimes. Kyoya is just so scary that nobody dares say anything when he attends alone…"

"In other words, you are a commodity shared by half of the Vongola Guardians," he interrupted her, and Haru scowled.

"I don't think I appreciate what you are trying to imply," she told him sharply, but he merely dismissed her agitation with a wave, unconcerned.

"I imply nothing," he flashed her a leering smile that instantly made her want to smack him. "I know the truth after all. You were a virgin when you came to my bed; I don't think you can get any more 'pure' than that."

By then, Haru was so red with a mix of embarrassment and anger that she looked as if she suffered from a bad case of sunburn.

"Belphegor! You-"

"Just be yourself," he cut her off abruptly before she could rant, and she paused, her angry thoughts derailed, staring at him with incomprehension.

"Huh?" she uttered with eloquence.

He grinned lazily at her, and repeated. "Just be yourself. No one will be judging you on your intelligence or lack thereof. In fact, your main purpose will be to stand beside me and look pretty."

The golden haired Prince reached out and snagged the decanter of Scotch whisky on the table, singlehandedly unscrewing the cap with practiced ease. At the same time, he extracted one cube of ice from the ice bucket with a small tong and dropped it into a shot glass. He was about to repeat the procedure for another glass when Haru quickly shook her head. "No, I don't want it."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself, then."

Haru watched as Bel poured a copious amount of the hard liquor into his own shot glass before setting back the crystal bottle onto the table. He picked up his poison of choice, swirled it around absently, and promptly downed the potent alcohol in a single swallow.

"So you don't like whisky," he commented idly, observing the expression of mild aversion on her face. He gestured with the empty shot glass towards the bar counter then, and continued. "There is a variety of other liquor stocked there. Help yourself."

Once again, Haru shook her head quickly. "I don't drink hard liquor," she demurred. "And you really shouldn't drink too much. It's bad for your liver."

He did not bother to reply, merely watched her with the side of his jaw resting on the back of his hand.

"You really shouldn't preach," he remarked at last. "Makes you sound like an old woman. And besides, I recall that you do drink."

"Only wine, and very little," she corrected him with a small frown. She was also beginning to look at bit more irritated than she should, almost as if she had just remembered something else. "And the last time I drank too much, I woke up beside you in my bed."

She sounded almost accusatory, and his smirk became smug and purely cat-like in nature.

"You did, didn't you?" he mused in an almost proud tone. He set down the empty glass on the table and straightened in his seat, turning to look at her in a highly interested manner that quickly made her instincts shrill with alarm. Haru found herself edging slowly backwards now that he had turned his entire attention on her, and that growing smile of lust on his face was not easing her worries any.

"Stay away, Bel," she muttered quickly, trying to ward him off. "Keep to your side of the sofa and I will keep to mine—hey! You are crossing that line!"

Haru fell back completely and pressed herself to the couch even as her blonde lover leaned over and easily caged her in between his two arms.

"Bel!" she yelped with dismay. "You can't be drunk already! You only had one shot!"

He snorted.

"I'm not drunk. I'm starting to feel a bit horny though," he confided with a shameless grin. "And guess who I have caught?"

"You didn't catch me," Haru objected immediately. "I was sitting right here the whole time."

"So you were," he agreed almost amiably, his arms folding slowly as he sank down upon her. She tensed slightly at first, but relaxed with exasperation in the end. He ended up with his face pressed into the side of her neck, his weight bearing down partially on her, and she protested.

"You are going to wrinkle my dress," she muttered, and in response, he licked her, eliciting a small shiver of response from her. He smiled quietly against her skin, but did not reply. Haru sighed soundlessly, but remained still under him all the same. He felt warm and even though bits of his tousled hair tickled her nose, Haru decided that she felt quite comfortable where she was, and slowly, her hands came up to rest against Bel's back, stroking him absently.

Bel appeared quite content where he was as well, and when he didn't move, Haru closed her eyes, enjoying the brief, quiet respite. It was downright strange that they could be arguing like nobody's business one moment and then share such comfortable, intimate moments with each other the next. Haru really didn't understand the dynamics of her strange relationship with Bel sometimes.

"You know," the golden-haired Varia spoke up slyly from against her neck then. "Now would be an excellent opportunity to introduce you to sex at fifty thousand feet above sea level." His hand was already slipping under the hem of her skirt, the rough tips of his fingers brushing against the silken flesh of her inner thighs.

Haru started, and without further ado, quickly tried to smack him off her.

"Stop that, Bel!" she protested with a soft yowl. "I do not want to enter France and that evening ball of yours looking as if I have just had sex, thank you very much!"

Haru wasn't holding much hope that he would actually heed her for once, but surprisingly enough, he did. He withdrew his questing hand from under her skirt even though he did take his own sweet time doing it, and slowly, reluctantly, eased his weight off her.

"This little excuse of yours is only going to work for now," he informed her with a warning grin. "I won't give a damn if you reenter Italy later looking as if you have been fucked on every available surface of my aircraft."

It was more a promise of things to come than a mere threat, and despite herself, Haru started to grow conspicuously aroused at the mental images Bel's one sentence had evoked. She bit her lips and looked away from him in a vain effort to keep him from detecting her own perverted thoughts, but he could read her actions easily, and before long, was chuckling with smug masculine satisfaction.

"Are you certain that you don't want to start now? I'd take you on that dining table first, and then we will do it against the bar counter. We will even have a go at it at the-"

"Bel! Stop that!" Haru hissed, twin spots of color flaring on her cheeks. "Don't make it any harder than it already is!"

She seemed to realize what she had said, the implications that she had unwittingly let out, and her eyes widened. She quickly clapped her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean that," she blurted out in a muffled tone, but he was not fooled, judging by that large, infernal grin on his face.

"There's no need to lie. This may come as a complete surprise to you, but I know that you like it whenever we fuck."

If anything, Haru's face only turned redder, but this time around, she did not refute his observation. Belphegor chuckled.

"…Shut up," she muttered, but he was hardly offended.

A polite buzz through the aircraft's intercom system alerted the two passengers that the jet was preparing for descent then, and Haru was all too glad for the distraction. She purposely took her time to strap herself to her seat, and completely ignored the blonde-haired man beside her, grinning like a lunatic. She stalled for as long as she possibly could, and then looked up reluctantly, only to see that he still hadn't put on his seat belt.

Her brow furrowed. "You may be a Prince, but you still need to observe safety protocols, Bel."

His response was to reach across her and to the wall of the aircraft, pushing aside a small section of false wall on the wooden panel, revealing a hidden compartment. He extracted a large, flat velvet box from within the secret confines, and Haru watched curiously as he flipped open the lid and removed an object from the box.

Haru stared at the thin strip of black silk ribbon that dangled from his index finger, and at first glance, thought it was a collar. On closer inspection, she realized she had been mistaken, and that she was staring at a choker necklace, its width roughly the breadth of her thumb, and the simplicity of the almost plain—_ordinary_—design was offset by a single, large pear-shape diamond that all but dripped from the center of the thin, deceptively flimsy silk.

The pristine, dazzling jewel looked to be at least twenty carats even to Haru's untrained eye, and it dangled elegantly from a small, elaborate brooch that was exquisitely interwoven into the sleek black material of the choker. The brooch was studded completely with fine, perfectly shaped melee diamonds of an exact size, and together, formed the unmistakable sigil that was Belphegor's royal coat of arms.

Bel unhooked the clasp of the choker, and before Haru had an inkling of what he was about to do, reached towards her and wrapped the thin band of silk and jewelry around her slender throat. The brunette stiffened immediately in surprise, a sound of protest springing from her lips.

"What are you doing?"

The Storm Unit Commander didn't bother to conceal his snort of irritation. "I'm putting the damn jewelry on you, of course. What does it look like to you?"

Haru scowled at him.

"I know that! Why are you putting it on me? I'm not going to accept this." And true to her word, Haru's hands immediately went to the back of her neck and tried to push away his own. She also looked quite rattled at the same time, no doubt stunned that he was giving her what looked like a fortune in the currency of precious stones.

Really, it just made a strange sort of sense that whereas other women in her position would have been beyond thrilled and flattered to receive such extravagant gifts, she just looked quite outraged—and genuinely bewildered by his unexpected generosity.

Bel growled inwardly at her willfulness, and ignoring her attempts to remove the necklace from her person, fitted the fine hook of the jewelry into its corresponding eyelet. Then, he caught her hands with one of his and moved them to her lap, and at the same time, pulled back slightly to survey the results of his handiwork. He was pleased to see that the diamond choker looked good on her, just as he had expected. Most importantly, she wore his crest beautifully, and that pleasant view came with the additional side effect that she now bore his mark on her person for all to see.

Haru was not amused.

"I don't want this," she repeated stubbornly, slipping loose from his hold, her fingers going up to her throat, almost uncertainly, to touch the large diamond pendent that now hung on her neck, nestled in between the gentle dip of her clavicles as if it had always belonged there. "And why are you giving this to me, anyway?"

She was about to reach behind her to unclasp the choker necklace that was worth a small fortune when he spoke warningly.

"If you remove it, I will just catch hold of you again and put it back on, little sparrow." The malicious playfulness in his tone hinted that she would not like his way at all, and because she knew that he was one to keep his promises, she reluctantly stilled her twitching fingers and settled for scowling at him instead.

He smiled and finally settled beside her, absently buckling himself into his seat even as the aircraft started to make its descent.

"You should be honored, you know," he remarked casually now that he'd had his way—as usual. "I do not make it a habit to shower gifts on anyone."

Haru started at his deceptively innocuous statement. She turned her head sharply to stare at him, almost intent to judge his truthfulness, but as usual, his veil of tousled blonde fringe effectively concealed any useful hint she could hope to glean from his jester-like features. At last, she gave up. He was most likely trying to pull her leg again.

But still, Haru could not ignore the way a certain portion of her chest warmed with growing affection for this dangerous man. She was really an idiot.

"Don't think I didn't see your coat of arms on this choker," she challenged irritably, and he shrugged carelessly.

"Why does it matter? You belong to me, and it's only right that others know it as well."

Haru gaped at him, her jaw unhinged. The fact that the choker had resembled a collar was not helping her growing agitation any.

"Excuse me?" she spluttered. "I am my own person, thank you very much!"

"You are under my protection, ergo, you belong to me," he replied simply, almost as if it was the easiest thing in the world for any imbecile to comprehend.

Unfortunately, Haru had that stubborn, _mulish_, look on her face that told him she was about to disagree, and quite vocally. In the interest of heading off her ridiculous argument before she could even start, he continued.

"Besides, no one will dare touch you later, with the symbol of my possession so blatantly displayed on your person."

Predictably so, the deliberate twist in his statement was enough to pique her curiosity, diverting her attention away from this familiar argument that was beginning to get irritatingly repetitive for the blonde's taste. The silly woman should have just accepted the promise of his protection like any other women in her position would have, but no, she just had to pull that feminist nonsense every time they came to this topic. Did she even comprehend the mark of honor she had been given? That he, a Crown Prince of his country, was granting her his acknowledgement as well as the coveted status as one belonging to him when he had never before bothered to extend the same courtesy to any of his past bedmates?

Of course not.

The woman was clearly as oblivious as ever and did not seem to care about her position and status. Her plebian mind was most likely too simple and ignorant of the ways of high society to understand the advantage he was giving her, and so of course, it was up to him to be the 'magnanimous one,' or rather, be as magnanimous as the infamous Prince the Ripper was capable of being.

A part of him wondered if he would still be so physically attracted to her if her character wasn't as it was right now. He greatly doubted it. Without her defining characteristics, she would have just become yet another pretty face, another warm body to slake his lust on, moving on to the next when he got bored.

And surprisingly enough, he hadn't got bored of her yet. He wondered idly if he would soon, and disconcertingly enough, if he ever would.

"What do you mean?" Haru asked then, a frown marring her brow. "Is there going to be trouble at this party of yours?"

Because he knew that intelligent head of hers (a strange combination of smartness and naiveté she was, he was beginning to realize) was unlikely to let go of any puzzle until she had solved it, he pushed his deliberations aside, and shrugged carelessly once more. He gave her an ambiguous grin, one that turned into lazy amusement when he glimpsed the look of irritated frustration on her face.

"Who knows? You will just have to see for yourself later."

His sparrow was such a drab and boring little thing at first glance, but there was no denying the fact that this seemingly insignificant female easily held his full attention in her hands.

Perhaps it was a good thing she was so oblivious after all, he mused to himself.

It would be such a shame to have to kill her if she ever learned how to use that irresistible allure of hers to bring him to his knees.

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Question****s That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

For those who are unsure, Haru named her Sparrow Hawk 'Bel-kun.' It's not exactly Belphegor's full name, but it still irritates him something fierce that she is using it on her bird.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

The relationship between Belphegor and Haru is a bit unusual, I have to admit. They have this really amazing love/hate rapport going with each other, if only a bit extreme in the sense where there are times Haru really do hate Belphegor, and likewise, there are also moments when Belphegor is caught between wanting Haru really badly or just battling the urge to strangle the life out of her, literally.

Personally, I think it's romantic. They are both quite passionate individuals, so if they ever focus that intensity on each other, it'd be like instant fireworks.

BelHaru FTW!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	18. Chapter 18

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4821

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/06/10

**

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**Chapter Eighteen**

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The party was, for a lack of a better description, nothing but a midnight orgy disguised as an evening ball.

Haru had gaped, shocked and appalled as she stood stunned at the entrance of the elaborate, decadent establishment. This was definitely not what she had expected, Haru thought vaguely as she watched masked gorgeous women prance around the large, darkened, strobe-lighted room in skimpy strips of material that really shouldn't qualify as clothing. There were men in there too, of course, their facial features similarly concealed, and they—

Haru's thoughts broke off abruptly as a flush of dismayed embarrassment crept up her cheeks, and she instinctively tried to stumble clumsily back out of the huge room.

_Just what sort of place was this? And were those couples having sex on that stage-_

A firm arm around her waist pushed her to move forward instead, and Haru nearly tripped, further disoriented by the sharp bursts of the strobe lights as well as the deafening music that made the room appear as if it was throbbing. Haru reared back with immediate refusal, understandably reluctant to enter the room.

"Bel!" she protested none-too-softly, as she had to in order to be heard above the pounding beats of the music. Her ears were ringing and her eyes were starting to hurt from all the needless sound and light and horrifying images of writhing, naked skin and uninhibited, copulating people, and it has only been less than a minute since their entrance into this deceptively respectable looking building situated in the upscale part of Champs-Elysees. "What on earth is this place?"

The blonde in question did not reply, and when she proved to be utterly stubborn, he merely hauled her in bodily, much to her loud protesting screeches.

"Belphegor!"

Haru sounded downright mortified, and only the tightening, _warning_, grip of his fingers digging into her waist discouraged her from trying to wriggle out of his hold and get the hell out of this…perverted place. For one brief moment, Haru wondered about Belphegor's purpose in bringing her here, and then when he pulled her up against him, Haru gave up and let him drag her into this den of corrupted insanity. Oh, he was definitely going to get a earful from her later for this, that was for sure, but for now, she squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face against his shoulder, her posture all but bristling with dislike, telling him without words that she was in no way happy with this situation.

The golden-haired Crown Prince merely smiled an enigmatic smile as he sauntered into the large hall like he had every right to do so, not even batting an eyelash over the blatant acts of carnality and salaciousness that occurred in abundance around him, or the beautiful, partially nude women who looked at him with sultry eyes and seductive, come hither glances, clearly inviting him to partake in what they had to offer. He paid no attention to any of them, dismissing them as below his regard, disinterested and long since desensitized to the allure of such games of lust and lewdness.

Now, the small, thoroughly embarrassed woman currently huddled up beside him with mortified shock held more of his interest than those leggy, gorgeous females whom he would have had no qualms amusing himself with in the past, and the blonde royal was surprised to find no great loss in his sudden lack of interest. The women were certainly attractive, but most of them were vapid and shallow, and all were too scared of his reputation and character to stand up to him—and be properly interesting.

In that aspect, Haru was different. It was true that she had a tolerance level that was well above the average female's, but exceeding that, would not take any crap from him, and when properly incited, had the potential to be downright devious in her methods of dishing out revenge. It was refreshingly entertaining, and of course, it was an extra bonus that she was just so damn responsive to him in bed as well.

Almost as if she was aware of the direction that his thoughts were turning, the woman in question managed to sneak in a hard pinch to his side then, blatantly informing him of her growing displeasure with him in the only way she could right now. To Belphegor's credit, the sardonic expression of amusement that he showed the world did not change despite the rather painful tweak.

Haru stiffened and squeaked inaudibly when he retaliated by splaying his hand on the round curve of her rump, and then giving it a possessive squeeze in full view of anyone who was interested to see.

She started to tremble finely in his hold then, and his lazy, jester-like smile widened imperceptibly.

The woman was undoubtedly working herself into a fine fury—and that usually meant one thing in the end.

The sex was definitely going to be _spectacular_ tonight, and that was enough incentive for him to get his business over and done with quickly.

The golden-haired Storm Unit Commander headed unerringly towards the back of the establishment in his usual arrogant, unhurried manner, and despite his seemingly good mood, no one attempted to accost him and the unknown woman who had come with him. The pair slipped soundlessly through a discreetly guarded door that revealed a long, deserted hallway, and the moment the door slipped shut again, the costly soundproofing system that had been implemented in this section of the building immediately took effect. The previously deafening thumps of music were effectively reduced to a dull, nearly inaudible buzz, and the dizzying, disorienting strobe lights had been exchanged for discreet, antique wall lamps that shed a soft glow down the length of the carpeted discreet passageway.

It was certainly an abrupt change—albeit a completely welcome one—compared to the appalling immorality she had witnessed earlier. Once Haru had ascertained for herself that they were alone, she squirmed free from Bel immediately, a frown forming on her chagrinned features.

"What was that?" she demanded right away, her arm outraised, pointing in the direction where they had just come from. "What on earth were they doing?"

She sounded quite flustered and…stunned, and he had to remember that she was an innocent still, despite having lost her virginity to him months ago, despite having been defiled repeatedly by him since then. She was still relatively unaware of the ways of the world, the sheer extent the bored and the cynical rich were willing to go to in order to assuage the ever present emptiness welling within them. Debauchery and pleasures of the flesh were but one outlet amongst many others, though the thrill of sex was fleeting at most, and only lasted for the merest of moments.

He should know; having experimented with and experienced his share of lust…all facets of it.

The golden-haired Varia gave his lover a humorless smile.

"What do you think they were doing, woman? I'm not very sure, but it looked like they were enjoying an orgy out there," he sounded so sarcastic that she promptly frowned even more deeply at him. The fact that she looked so genuinely mortified by the situation made his amusement return once more.

"B- but," she spluttered helplessly, raising her confused gaze to meet his. "Is this considered normal in France?" she whispered, stunned. Her romantic impression of the City of Love was about to undergo a drastic renovation.

Bel was quite tempted to string her along and see how far he could go before she called his bluff. The woman was so very gullible and trusting by nature that it wouldn't take much effort on his part, leading her around in metaphorical circles, but at last, he decided to leave the innocent be. Tonight's excursion was probably enough of a shocking eye opener for her already—she would most definitely not appreciate it if he attempted to trick her some more.

"Not really," he answered, at the same time moving down the hallway with his usual languid grace, seemingly without a care in the world. Left with no choice, Haru followed closely behind him. "You need to earn the exclusive membership before you can enter here."

Not surprisingly, Haru immediately wrinkled her nose, the expression on her face one of disbelief. "Membership?" she sounded incredulous.

His smile widened at her nonplussed reaction. He shrugged carelessly. "This was originally supposed to be a gentlemen's club."

"And now it's just a sex club?" Haru demanded, quite appalled. Her sense of prudishness was quite amusing to him, as was the note of outrage that he could detect in her tone.

"Yes," he confirmed, pausing briefly before continuing. He slanted her a sly, amused look. "Would you like to join? I'd have to pull some strings, of course, since you don't have the portfolio or social status required for entry, and you don't have much of a figure either. But it can be done."

She gaped stupidly at him, and then she promptly scowled. "No, I don't want to join your stupid club, and can you shut up about my figure or lack thereof already?" she snapped, aggrieved. "I swear you are more fixated on my figure than I am. And I certainly didn't hear you complaining when we were together."

The last sentence was spoken in a nearly inaudible mutter, but his sharp ears picked it up all the same. He smiled again.

"Well, it's true that you don't have much of a figure, but you are still pretty good in bed," he remarked innocuously. "Therefore, naturally, I have no complaints."

Haru reddened slightly, and he chuckled. She frowned again.

"Do you come here often?" she asked curiously, hesitantly.

"I used to." He would never lie, saw no need to. From the corner of his gaze, he watched the furrow between her brows deepen ever so slightly. "Why? Jealous?"

She sputtered, but at last settled for an agitated growl. "No! I just want to know if I will have to worry about getting any sexually transmitted disease from you!"

She was certainly being a bit more vicious than usual in her comebacks, though to her chagrin, her rude comment washed off his back like it was of little consequence to him, and he even _chuckled_, that ass.

He stopped in his tracks, and looked at her. Haru paused beside him as well, not sure what he was about now.

"You are a sharp tongued little bitch when angered, aren't you?" he sounded quite bemused, intrigued. She flushed even more, but before she could open her mouth to tell him how she hardly appreciated his mean name calling, he caught her chin with his thumb and index finger, tilting her head up to him. The diamond choker on her neck gleamed under the soft lighting, the sigil of his royal crest all but embossed on the slender arch of her exposed throat.

He smiled slowly with pure satisfaction.

"My little bitch."

"_Bel-phe-gor_!" Haru gasped sharply, taking great affront to his possessive words. She promptly smacked him on the arm. Loudly. And just for good measure, kicked him hard in the shin too. That would teach him not to go around giving her degrading nicknames!

Not too surprisingly, he released her quickly, a curse on his lips as he restrained the need to reach down to his bruised ankle and/or reach out to strangle his infuriating lover.

"Damn it, you crazy woman," he bit out, no longer amused. "You may have my favor right now, but don't push your luck too far!"

"Well, then don't you call me a bitch!" Haru snapped back, clearly unrepentant and hardly impressed with the blonde's fierce temper. "How dare you call me names and then expect me to just sit there and accept it?"

The Storm Varia gave her an incredulous look, but before he could say a thing, a soft chuckle echoed down from the hallway just a ways further, and this time around, Belphegor was definitely not feeling cheerful enough to be the one laughing. The assassin Prince recognized the identity of the amused individual though, even without looking, and was quite irritated that the man had to witness this…domestic scene between himself and Haru.

Haru whipped her head around to locate the source of the quiet laughter, and at last, saw the man standing unobtrusively by a door a few meters away from herself and Belphegor. Like her lover, he was of Caucasian descent, but he was tall and dark-haired and his eyes were a piercing shade of blue that was starkly visible even from where she was standing. He was dressed in a suit and looked to be somewhere in his late twenties, perhaps only a few years older than Bel was. He also looked undeniably handsome with his well-structured cheekbones and debonair features, but even though his lips were quirked up with amusement, his eyes remained cool and measured—calculating.

Haru was instinctively wary, and looked to her side to gauge Bel's reaction. The blonde looked quite sour but was not exactly surprised by the other's presence, and judging by his mostly unthreatened stance, Haru was quite certain that Bel was at least acquainted with this new person.

"Alaisdair." Bel didn't sound all that thrilled. The man in question stepped forth towards them with casual grace, stopping mere feet from them and bowed mockingly towards the blonde royal.

"Greetings, Your Highness. You certainly took your own sweet time getting here." The man's voice was dry, almost sarcastic, but Belphegor ignored him. Alaisdair appeared to be more or less used to the younger male's reaction, though, and merely turned his sight to the warily watching Haru. He smiled faintly at her.

"And who may this beautiful lady be?" he enquired in a charming tone, and Haru blinked at him, cautiously silent. Beside her, Bel snorted derisively under his breath, and that made her irritated enough to scowl at him. Still, she said nothing, obviously deferring to her golden-haired guardian in this unknown situation.

"She is none of your concern, Alaisdair," Bel snapped. "Let's get this over and done with so I can leave quickly."

The man arched a fine brow. "And the lady?" he queried blandly, almost politely. "She cannot be present while we are discussing state affairs."

"…State affairs?" Haru asked, surprised. She turned to look at Bel for answers. The blonde's lips turned down in a sharp frown.

"This idiot here is in charge of overseeing the various affairs in my country," the golden-haired male explained tersely.

"Yes, I am the humble steward who lives to serve my Prince the endless piles of paperwork that he has forsaken while he runs off, gallivanting with the Vongola Famiglia," Alaisdair agreed all too calmly, although he hardly sounded humble at all. Haru stared. Bel grumbled under his breath, and then turned to her.

"You heard him. I have a meeting to get on with." Bel did not sound too pleased about it. On the other hand, Haru just looked plain incredulous.

"W-wait! Are you trying to tell me that you are going to be discussing your country's politics in here? _A strip club?_"

Both men merely looked at her, unimpressed by her bewildered expression.

Belphegor shrugged. "Why not?"

Alaisdair peered at the woman beside the golden-haired royal. She definitely did not look like any of the females who used to hang off his Prince, just by mere appearance alone. It was definitely quite curious now that he had the time to study the woman's appearance and character…

Poor Haru opened her mouth to retort, only to snap it shut again when nothing came out. She had to muster the effort to try again, much to her chagrin.

"B-but really? _A strip club_?"

It was quite apparent that Haru was having some trouble getting over that particular fact. Belphegor was starting to get somewhat amused. Bringing Haru here was certainly the right thing to do, and he was becoming quite entertained.

"Well, this whole place belongs to him," the blonde jerked his head in the direction of Alaisdair. "Full-time steward to a royal, European country, part-time strip club owner."

The obliging Alaisdair gave Haru a sweeping bow. "Archduke Alaisdair Rianorix Rousseau at your service, my fair lady."

Haru really didn't know what to think anymore. Her innocent, romantic perceptions of princes and other highborn nobles had just been blown clear out of the water this evening.

"You own this…club?"

Judging by the way her face was screwing up into what looked to be an expression of dismayed grimace, Alaisdair had the idea that the woman was hardly impressed.

"Yes, I'm known to own a few casinos here and there and an integrated resort or two as well, last I remembered," the man remarked in a not-so-modest tone.

Haru was really _not _impressed.

"So you own a few gambling dens and a few other places that encourage vices in people," she muttered.

Alaisdair exchanged a brief look with Belphegor. The golden-haired Prince did not seem to react to the woman's disapproval; in fact, he appeared quite amused, indulgently so. The Archduke raised an arch brow.

"Well, since my Prince decided to join a scruffy Mafia gang and run around indulging in killing sprees, the least I can do is show my support of his unbecoming lifestyle in any way that I can."

"Why, thank you very much, Alaisdair. That's very loyal of you," Belphegor interjected quite sarcastically then. "But I would have much preferred if you remained in your ancestral seat and completed the damn paperwork instead."

The slightly older man acted as if he hadn't even heard what his Crown Prince had said. Belphegor twitched ever so slightly, but surprisingly enough to Haru, did not attempt to perforate the dark-haired aristocrat with his deadly, scalpel-like blades.

"You can't threaten me, Your Highness," Alaisdair remarked blithely, mildly. "If I die, you will be buried in so much paperwork that you will be wading in it for decades to come."

The blonde in question said nothing, but the irritated look on his face spoke volumes. Huh, to think that the invincible Prince the Ripper had a crippling weakness in the form of an irrational phobia for paperwork. Haru was beginning to understand why Bel would rather remain a member of the Varia than return to his country and become King—the man was deathly afraid of a few measly pieces of paperwork.

Having firsthand knowledge of the type of damage Bel was capable of, the notion of his little phobia was more than a little amusing to Haru, and it clearly showed in the way her eyes gleamed with ill-concealed humor.

Understandably, Bel was nowhere near as amused. He gave his woman an infuriated glare.

"You are finding this quite funny, aren't you?"

Haru shrugged, knowing well enough that Belphegor was unlikely to take it sitting down if she agreed outright. The air of quiet amusement surrounding her was undeniable though, and Bel growled irritably before he remembered something that made him grin dangerously at her in return.

"Well, well, since you find this so amusing and all, I guess you will have no trouble finding some entertainment here whilst Alaisdair and I…do what we have to do." He sounded quite disgruntled at the end.

"We will be protecting the national interests of our country," the unruffled Archduke corrected calmly.

Haru had a strange look on her face. Just what kind of country was run by a strip club owner and a murderous, crazy assassin? On second thought, Haru quickly decided that she really didn't want to know. Tonight had been…shocking enough.

Haru shook her head, placing her attention back on Bel.

"I'm not going back there," she blurted out swiftly, and there was no question to her golden-haired lover just where 'there' was. He had no intention of leaving her amongst a bunch of naked men and women whose inhibitions had been shot to hell through a liberal usage of drugs, alcohol, and lust, of course, but she didn't know that.

He leered at her.

"Are you quite sure? You may learn a new thing or two in there."

Haru flinched slightly, and then she scowled at him.

"If you make me go back there, I will make you very sorry," she promised. "I don't know how yet, but I'm sure I can think of ways to make things difficult for you, Bel!"

She didn't sound like she was blustering either, and in fact, appeared quite determined to keep her promise in the event that he really dared to put her smack dab in the middle of the strip club.

"As interesting as it is watching you flirt with your newest conquest, Your Highness," the utterly jaded expression on Alaisdair spoke volumes of his interest, or lack thereof, "We have things to do."

"I'm not his conquest!" Haru snapped immediately, though there was a marked lack of denial from Belphegor, if the grin on his face was of any indication.

The blonde shrugged, and then started to walk off with Alaisdair by his side, leaving Haru to either follow or be left behind. The Archduke and the Crown Prince came to a stop at a door right near the end of the long hallway, and then, Alaisdair moved to open the door before pausing and regarding the Japanese woman who had come with his Prince.

"You may stay here for the duration of His Highness' meeting," the dark-haired male offered steadily, and Haru peeked into the room to see a perfectly normal, inviting bedroom suite, complete with a well stocked mini-bar and what looked like a shelf of books by the side as well as a study table with a desktop computer. "Or would you prefer to wait in the main hall like His Highness suggested?"

Haru quickly ducked into the room, not requiring any more convincing. She did turn back to look at Belphegor, though.

"How long is this going to take?" she asked.

Her golden-haired lover shrugged.

"It will take only as long as is needed," he replied carelessly, and Haru's brow furrowed, the expression on her face a mix of bewilderment and frustration.

"If that's the case, I don't understand why you brought me here in the first place," she muttered.

The blonde grinned evilly at that.

"If I have to be here suffering the agonies of paperwork, then it's only right that you, as my lover, must bear part of my pain."

To say that Haru was not pleased with his flippant answer would be an understatement. The woman scowled harder.

"I will show you pain later," she muttered under her breath. Now that they were in 'polite company,' Haru chose to turn and flounce further into the room instead, her nose in the air as she wandered straight towards the shelf for a suitable book that she could occupy her time with.

Both men watched from the doorway as she finally picked out a paperback novel from the selection of titles and wandered over to an armchair to sit directly under the soft light of a floor lamp. She made sure to get herself comfortable before she opened the book and started to read, completely ignoring the two nobles throughout the entire process.

"You will not be disturbed here, and should you require anything, use the phone by the side table to summon the servants," Alaisdair spoke up then, and Haru lifted her head reluctantly to acknowledge his suggestion.

"I will. Thank you."

Then, after she was done being polite, she shot her ridiculously _childish_ lover another pointed frown before she returned her attention to her novel.

Alaisdair turned slightly to Bel and silently raised a brow in query, and the golden-haired Prince returned his amused regard with a near imperceptible shrug. At last, the two men retreated from the room, and Alaisdair slipped the door shut behind him

Both aristocrats moved towards their next destination—Alaisdair's well-concealed office—situated on another turn of a hallway.

"She's not your usual type," the slightly older male commented at last with jaded curiosity, interrupting the silence between the two men,

It would come as a surprise to most, but the occasions where the Prince was actually bored enough to seek his pleasure between the silken thighs of a female were not as frequent as his sensual, _experienced_ behavior would lead one to believe. It was also no secret that he had a certain preference when it came to the company of the opposite sex he cavorted with.

The women who hung off his arm at one time or another were outrageously glamorous beauties who were usually not very bright and/or possessed a rather distinct one dimensional personality, in the most unflattering sense of the word. They were the embodiments of their stereotype—physically attractive scantily clad, lust inspiring, with not much deep thought required in the presence of their company. They were usually too intimidated and awed by his status as one of royal blood to even try to be a bit interesting, and those who weren't, were too afraid of the maniacal tendencies of the handsome Prince to remain with him for long, but frankly enough, that was how Bel preferred his relationships—short and to the point, no strings attached.

Therefore, knowing his Prince like he did, it was quite a surprise to the Archduke that Belphegor appeared to be associating with someone like the young woman they had just left behind in the suite. She was definitely the very antithesis of the type of female Bel usually chose for liaisons of the purely sexual nature, and that sudden change was enough to intrigue the older male.

Bel smiled dangerously, like a cat that had gotten all the cream, with an additional side of canary.

"I wanted her," he replied casually, no shame or embarrassment in his voice or demeanor. Instead, there was the familiar smug arrogance that settled over his entire being like a very comfortable cloak of his royal birthright. The Prince rested a finger against his smirking lips, almost as if thinking of the woman in question. "Even if she had come in that particular flavor I never liked." His smile became one that was pure masculine satisfaction. "That's no longer the case, of course."

In other words, the woman had been a virgin. Alaisdair raised a silently enquiring brow. Belphegor was not known to be a sensitive, thoughtful person even on his best days, and therefore it was no secret that the blonde made it a point to avoid virgins whenever he required the sexual release that could only be procured by coupling with a member of the opposite sex. Virgins were just too much trouble, had ridiculous expectations to go with their pitiful inexperience to boot, and, all in all, were a hassle that Belphegor really didn't care to bother with.

Evidently, the young woman the golden-haired Prince had brought with him was an exception to the rule. Alaisdair had not been in her presence for long, but his first impression of her was that the she was quite strange, to be yelling angrily at the assassin Prince like she had when he first saw her. She hadn't seemed afraid of Belphegor at all, and had appeared more than willing to inform the murderous royal in no uncertain terms of just how unhappy he was making her.

Within a few moments of being in this woman's company, Alaisdair was beginning to understand her unique brand of charm. She wasn't coy or flirtatious like the other women behaved around Bel; instead, she was rather prickly and opinionated and _genuine_, clearly not intimidated by what Belphegor was capable of. She was also not above taking amusement at the Prince's expense when the situation called for it, and despite the way the two seemed to be more or less bickering throughout the entire encounter, there was a strange sense of familiarity—_comfort_—between her and Belphegor.

For some reason, that notion amused Alaisdair. The Japanese woman was either very brave or very stupid to let her guard down completely around someone like Belphegor. Still, he could see her allure, the marked lack of guile and ulterior intentions that made her character such a rare commodity in a dangerous, materialistic world like theirs.

"Who is she?" the Archduke enquired at last, increasingly intrigued. By now, both males were already ensconced within the privacy of his large, well-furnished office, and as the dark-haired man rounded his massive desk to take a seat behind it, his Prince slipped into one of the armchairs opposite the table with casual grace.

"She's part of the Vongola," the blonde replied with a nonchalant smirk. Then, the smirk widened into an arrogant grin as he looked straight at his loyal subject.

"But most importantly, she belongs to me."

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First off, Alaisdair is an original character, so don't panic if you haven't seen him in canon-verse before. He is one of Belphegor's main retainers and helps to manage the vast properties of the royal family as well as handle various political issues of their country. He won't be having any major roles in this fic, but I thought it would be interesting to introduce someone who is working from the angle of the royal family, and not that of the Varia or the Vongola Famiglia. As you can see, Alaisdair is a bit eccentric himself, but it works since his character complements Belphegor's. Anyway, I hope you like him!

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And yes, the 'ball' did turn out to be a trip to the strip club. Belphegor is just so charming like that. How could Haru resist?

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Last but not least, thanks for the wonderful reviews, readers! I know I don't really mention it, but your reviews are love and you guys give me great motivation to write more. I'm really glad that this fic is so well liked. Thanks again, everyone!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	19. Chapter 19

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5727

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 19/06/10

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**Chapter Nineteen**

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Haru was _not_ a happy camper.

If she had known that this was what was going to happen when Belphegor had taken her out of the Varia castle, she would have resisted his offer—emphatically.

Because she hadn't, had blindly trusted the dratted golden-haired Storm Unit Commander way more than she should, she was now stuck inside a bedroom suite in a nightclub of extremely dubious reputation, in the middle of a completely foreign city and country, and with no immediate way out.

And that 'considerate' lover of hers had up and left her all alone in this alien, somewhat disconcerting territory, giving no indication just when he would be back or how she should contact him if she ever had the need to do so.

In light of her situation, Haru had fumed for a good half an hour or so before she realized that she hadn't read even a word of the novel open before her. Frustrated, the brunette had flipped the book close, tossing it carelessly onto the surface of the nearby study desk before getting up to pace, an increasingly agitated air growing around her. Everything about her current unfortunate circumstances seemed to rub her the wrong way, and it wasn't long before she had worked herself up into a fine lather, and somewhere out there, Bel was probably sneezing his head off from all the murderous thoughts that she was channeling at his stupid head, that moron.

How could he have even thought it was a good idea to bring her to _this place_ and leave her alone?

Haru had half a mind to sneak out from the safety of the room and attempt to leave this place, but common sense and experience halted her rash, impulsive reactions. First of all, she did not speak the language of this country, and secondly, there was no one in Paris whom she could turn to for refuge. Where would she go? Not to mention, the nightmarish memories of her recent kidnapping less than a month ago were still fresh on her mind, and Haru really didn't want to risk getting into a position that would result in a painful repeat of her terrible experience.

So she really had no choice but to stay put and wait for her guardian-slash-lover to come back for her.

Not surprisingly, it irritated her to be downgraded to the equivalent status of a lapdog, and she could just imagine that annoying grin on Belphegor's smug face if he knew just how much he was irking her right now, without even being physically present to do so. In light of her displeasure, it wasn't difficult for her to think up a long list of injustices that she fully planned to take up with him the moment he came back, though unfortunately for her steaming temper, the golden-haired male didn't return quickly.

Haru had waited _an hour, two, three_, and so on, before it finally occurred to her that whatever conference he was having with that Archduke Alaisdair person was probably not going to end anytime soon. A fleeting thought of just where exactly they were holding that important discussion ran through Haru's overly imaginative mind, and momentarily enraged beyond all reason and not even caring to wonder just why she was being so possessively angry in the first place, she swore up and down to herself that she would make Belphegor _extremely_ sorry if he was having an intimate 'meeting' right at the moment with those disgustingly beautiful women with perfect figures and sexy demeanors whom she had briefly seen earlier.

Haru was getting so worked up over her overly fertile, creative imagination that it didn't even occur to her to worry about her increasing attachment towards Belphegor. Besides, if he had oh-so-shamelessly declared her as his, then Haru certainly saw no reason not to reciprocate his highhanded claim. He was hers as much as she was his, and Haru decided that she would definitely demand some goddamn fidelity from now on if they were to insist on continuing this strange relationship of theirs.

By the time supper came and went, the brunette had finally calmed down some. Even though Belphegor was still not making an appearance, she had found herself hungry enough to wolf down a surprisingly delicious meal brought to her on request by a discreet servant. She had missed dinner earlier on and her stomach had absolutely refused to suffer her displeasure any longer. After she consumed the appetizing and filling fare, it was only natural that she grew sleepy and lethargic next. It was quite late by then, and that prompted the tired woman to make good use of the generously provided toiletries in the attached bathroom. When she was done, Haru carefully removed her dress, draping the lovely material onto the back of a nearby antique wingback chair before getting into the large bed to sleep.

Haru was so drained that she quickly dozed off the moment her head touched the pillow. There was just something about travelling in airplanes that exhausted her quickly, and it was no different this time around. Haru had been initially apprehensive over letting her guard down in this foreign and suspiciously immoral place, but in the end, she was just too tired to care. Besides, Bel was somewhere in the vicinity and furthermore, he had appeared so relaxed and unthreatened earlier on that Haru was intuitive enough to understand that she would be in no danger here.

And so she felt safe enough to go to sleep, and sometime in the early morning, nearing dawn, her golden-haired lover finally slunk into the room. The Crown Prince removed his clothes haphazardly after taking care of his nightly rituals, messily chucking them without a care onto the floor, his crown tossed carelessly onto the nightstand before he crawled under the covers with little preamble to join Haru in bed. Haru was jostled awake briefly, shivering when she felt the cold morning air from the momentarily displaced blankets, and then startled when the coolness was abruptly replaced by warm bare skin pressed against hers. She was rolled onto her back even as a familiar weight settled over her, male hands touching the naked skin on the curve of her hips before leanly muscled arms wrapped themselves around her bare, slender waist.

Haru squinted sleepily and only managed to see shades of unruly burnished gold hair obscuring her vision even as her lover pressed his face in the comfortable nook of her neck, their bodies aligning naturally together, fitting like perfect puzzle pieces. And if that wasn't proof enough of his identity, then his familiar scent that teased her nose was enough to assure her that the man all but lying on top of her was indeed Belphegor.

It was enough for Haru to relax trustingly into her lover's embrace, and she was quite keen to go back to sleep but a niggling thought refused to grant her rest. Something about how she was supposed to be quite angry with Belphegor right now—

Haru's eyes snapped open, renewed agitation rushing through her veins. Before he could suspect her intention, she wriggled her hand free from their intertwined bodies and promptly smacked him upside the head. The loud 'thwack' resounded across the previously _quiet, peaceful_ room, and the blonde stiffened quickly.

"Fuck!" Belphegor growled, pulling back from her immediately, a stream of profanities flowing from his lips even as his skull throbbed in protest of the abuse. "What the hell was that for?"

It was most definitely an unwarranted attack from the blonde's point of view, and after an entire night locked in the study, signing papers and looking at contracts and clauses pertaining to his nation, not to mention having to look at Alaisdair's ugly mug the whole time when he clearly had much better things to do (with Haru), Belphegor was most definitely not in a good mood. He was cranky and tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep, and of course, it just made a sick sort of sense that his lover would choose this very instance to turn into an annoying shrew, deliberately depriving him of much needed rest.

Haru glared up at his bristling form, not intimidated.

"That's for bringing me to a strip club, you idiot!" she hissed softly at him, and before he could anticipate her next movement, she whacked him on the back of the head again, about as gentle as an angry rhinoceros. "And that's for leaving me alone in the aforementioned strip club!"

"Damn it, woman, stop hitting me!" he snapped back, increasingly irritated.

"Don't curse at me!" she merely retorted in an equally peeved manner, but she did quit trying to hit him, mostly due to the fact that he had caught hold of her flailing hands and had pinned them above her head with one of his. She narrowed her eyes at him, unamused, and he bared his teeth at her.

"If you let me sleep now, I won't turn you over my knee and paddle your backside like a little kid when I wake up later, you little spitfire," he warned grumpily. She still glared at him, even though she knew that he would carry out his threat if she continued to provoke him.

"Well, this is your fault!" she shot back mulishly. "Perhaps this will remind you in the future _not_ to drag me across an entire country and bring me to this type of stupid place next time!"

"Or I can always give you that spanking right now," he inputted with deceptive amiability, though she could see his jaw muscle tick with irritation. With reluctance, she peered a little more closely at him, and could not deny that the edges of his mouth were tight with genuine exhaustion. Now that she was getting a good squint at him, he did look as if someone had put him through the wringer. Whatever he and Alaisdair had been working on earlier had clearly been enough to tire him, and as annoyed as she was with him right now, Haru was still not vindictive enough to deprive him of the rest that he seemed to so direly need, even if he had just threatened to beat her like a child, the bastard.

She huffed and looked away from his face, relenting. "Don't think I'm going to let this slide that easily," she muttered grudgingly, and then he released his hold on her wrists and resettled himself over her. He ignored her disgruntled ramblings and merely held her close like the effective sleeping aid that she was. With little preamble, he buried his face against the side of her neck and within a matter of moments, was clearly fast asleep.

Haru rolled her eyes at the ceiling, unenthusiastically serving as a living cushion for the blonde currently passed out on top of her. Really' she must have owed him in her past life and now had to repay her debt by being at his every beck and call. Haru heaved an irritable sigh, but despite everything, still raised her hand and stroked his rich, golden hair calmingly when he shifted with discontent in his sleep.

She was stuck with him whether she liked it or not, and he had better appreciate that she was quite easygoing and not so fussy most of the time, at least enough to accept the situation they were in right now. She still had no idea how to categorize their relationship. They were neither here nor there; they were most assuredly _not_ in a romantic relationship, but then again, it was also wrong to classify their association with each other under one of those callous, no-strings-attached, sex-only arrangements. There was something more than just the physical release that they received from one another; he watched over her, however reluctantly at the beginning, as was his duty as her appointed guardian, and from the company that they were forced to keep with each other, it was becoming clear to Haru that something unique had been born.

Now, if only she knew just what _that_ was.

Belphegor shifted above her then, rolling to his side and pulling her along with him. The duvet bunched around them, forming a warm nest on the large bed against the cold, early spring climate. Haru instinctively huddled against her sleeping lover, her eyes sliding shut as the heat he generated gently coaxed her back into slumber. Wrapping her arms around Belphegor, Haru slowly fell into a light doze, strangely contented and comfortable, even when she had been so agitated but moments ago.

When she woke up after what seemed like hours later, it was already nearing late morning and Belphegor was still wrapped tightly around her, clearly dead to the world. Haru had had a surprisingly restful sleep, and as such was more than ready to begin her day on a fresh note—now, if only her golden-haired lover would deign to let her go. She had tried wriggling out from the slumbering Prince's grasp but to no avail—he had only tightened his hold on her and buried his face deeper against the crook of her neck, situating himself so firmly against her that it was a challenge to separate herself from him.

Haru attempted to get off the bed two more times before she gave up completely. She could always smack the unsuspecting man awake of course, but Belphegor had always looked so disconcertingly peaceful in slumber that she could never bring herself to disturb him. Of course, he had never held the same consideration for her, and just the mere thought of how many times she had been unceremoniously interrupted from her sleep via the royal pain in the behind of a Varia never failed to make Haru twitch with irritation. Still, the brunette resigned herself to lying quietly on the bed, intertwined with her lover as he slept on, oblivious to the dirty look that she was shooting at that princely head of his.

Haru wasn't sure just how long she spent languishing in the room as Bel's human cushion, but it was certainly a rare opportunity for her, to be lying around in bed with nothing to do. She had always been the type to busy herself with something and could never seem to sit still. Doing nothing had always seemed such a waste of time to her, but now that she was left with no choice, Haru decided that she could see the appeal of lazing in bed for the whole day. Time passed easily; she catnapped lightly and daydreamed the rest of the time away, and after what seemed like a couple of hours, she finally felt Belphegor start to rouse. She generously allowed him to wake on his own, as opposed to the rather violent inclination she had to boot him off the bed instead, in light of last night's argument. Haru stared at the ceiling idly, listening halfheartedly as the rhythm of his steady breathing altered subtly, signaling to her that he was finally waking up.

Out of sheer boredom, she was trying to figure out the color of the ceiling paint (eggshell white or snow white?) when his hands slid down to span her waist, his leg instinctively parting hers even as his head moved down to the gentle swells of her chest and he sleepily kissed her there.

Haru started in surprise, and then shivered slightly when he licked the naked skin in the valley between her breasts, the soft, modest mounds having been pushed together enticingly with the support of the lacy black bra that she had worn to bed. Haru had gone to sleep clad only in her undergarments, too tired to think too much of it last night. This morning, or rather afternoon, however, she was beginning to remember, thanks to Belphegor's grabby hands and mouth.

He was lazily licking and kissing his way up her unprotesting body, his fingers stroking her flat belly, brushing against the undersides of her bra, a rough purr of contentment reverberating from his naked chest as he nipped at her clavicle before moving up to the smooth column of her throat, her jaw, and lastly, her mouth.

The kiss started out innocently enough, a mere brush of his lips against hers, and then he applied mild pressure, his tongue flickering against the pouty flesh of her lips as he pried open her mouth and gained entrance. His musky, masculine flavor danced across her taste buds and unconsciously, she lifted her face to his, wanting more. His tongue rubbed carnally against hers, and she suckled at his mouth in return, a slow fire beginning to burn in her blood, rushing headily through her veins. He pulled back then, much to her discontentment, straddling her hips and sitting over her. He looked down at her through a sleep-mussed, tousled veil of burnished golden hair, appreciatively staring at the black laced confection of ribbons and silk that made up her undergarments, the dramatic shade complementing her soft, pale skin and highlighting her slender, willowy figure.

He reached out then, his lips curving into a purely masculine smirk when his fingers briefly touched the diamond choker that adorned her otherwise bared neck. Haru was disconcerted to realize that the priceless jewelry was still on her person; she had forgotten to take it off last night and, as the increasing blush on her face showed, could only imagine how she looked like to him right now.

The small, feline-like grin widened as he took his time to look her up and down, and she was even more flustered when she realized just how sensitive she was to his heated gaze. Embarrassed over the implication that she was wearing his crest on her body and almost nothing else, she was about to snap at him when he spoke simply.

"Beautiful."

His voice was still rough and husky from sleep, but there was no denying the effect that he had on her. Her honey brown eyes darkened at his frank compliment, and all her previous irritation at him quickly drained out of her. He seemed to have some idea of the havoc that he was wreaking on her senses, and with a small delighted chuckle at her prettily flushed features, he leaned back down again, casually aligning their bodies together once more.

He flashed his trademark hyena grin.

"Now, let's see how you look in that choker and nothing else, shall we?"

* * *

It was nearing mid afternoon by the time Haru and Belphegor emerged from the bedroom suite. The disgruntled looking brunette was dressed in a casual pair of blue jeans, a formfitting grey turtleneck sweater, as well as a pair of pointed-toe kitten heels whereas her smug looking counterpart was back in his usual Varia uniform. Their hair was still damp from a recent shower, and Alaisdair, who had been waiting for them in the hallway, raised an eyebrow at the telling sight.

Haru had not noticed the presence of the Archduke yet, so busy was she frowning at her lover.

"I still don't understand why we had to dress up so formally last night," the Japanese woman muttered. "We didn't even go anywhere in the end. I felt like an overdressed idiot."

The blonde Storm Varia smirked. "You felt overdressed for the occasion?" he enquired silkily. "If you had only told me that last night, I would have made certain that you fit right in with the other women in this club."

Haru didn't hesitate to reach over and pinch him in the bicep, an irritated look on her face. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Unfortunately for her, Belphegor was just in too good a mood to take offense. He leered at her. "I'm afraid you will need to refresh my memory, my little pet. I can only recall how you were mewling under me just an hour or so ago, your legs wrapped tight around me, raking those sharp claws of yours down my back-"

"_Belphegor_!"

Haru was mortified, and it didn't help that she had finally noticed the dark-haired Archduke approaching them then, and judging by the bland look of amusement on the other's aristocratic features, Alaisdair had definitely heard a good portion of their conversation.

"I was about to ask if your accommodations for last night had been suitable," the nobleman commented mildly by way of greeting, "But it seems like my question has already been answered."

Haru's face turned bright red, but Bel's smirk was reminiscence of a feline that had just swallowed an entire canary, or rather, _a sparrow_.

"The suite was wonderful, Alaisdair-san," Haru stammered out lamely, a soft band of pink coloring her cheekbones as well as the bridge of her nose, signaling her overwhelming embarrassment in this situation. It was a rather becoming color on the pretty young woman, Alaisdair noted with idle interest, casually raking his eyes over her face and body. The aristocrat could see her appeal, and his unsmiling lips lifted imperceptibly with sardonic amusement when his Prince edged close to the oblivious woman, obviously telecasting his ownership. His Highness was surprisingly possessive when it came to this girl, and Alaisdair really did smirk this time when he glanced at the Crown Prince and saw the way the other man was watching him with guarded suspicion.

"If that's all you want to blather about, we will be on our way," Belphegor spoke up then.

The Archduke sketched a small bow towards his monarch. Belphegor was his King in all but title, and that was only because the blonde in question was just too lazy to return to his home country to attend his own ascension ceremony, now that Rasiel was finally declared dead and all.

"Very well, your Highness," Alaisdair murmured levelly. "Before you can celebrate your long awaited freedom from the accursed paperwork, may I remind you that next month's meeting will be on-"

"I know when the next meeting will be held," Belphegor interrupted impatiently, before his good mood could be completely ruined. "It's on the same damn day every month, just like it has always been for the last five years, Alaisdair."

Alaisdair cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm glad you are aware of it then, and that there will be no miscommunication," the Archduke merely remarked unflappably. "Because I can recall at least one instance where I neglected to inform you of our next meeting and you feigned complete ignorance and failed to show up."

There was no mistaking the mild rebuke in the older man's frank, level tone, and Belphegor started to scowl outright. Haru watched the two men curiously, quietly amused by how effectively Alaisdair was taking her lover to task, as if he was just a naughty little boy. Belphegor did deserve part of it though, if the sheer extent of what he was willing to do just to weasel out of paperwork was to be believed.

"I will be there, even if I will hate every minute of it," the golden-haired Prince replied sharply, irritated. He started to stride down the hallway, at the same time catching hold of Haru's wrist, and tugging her along with him. "We are leaving now, Alaisdair."

"Aa, goodbye, Alaisdair-san!" Haru barely had time to bid her own farewell before her temperamental lover dragged her off around the corner, no doubt eager to leave.

The tall, handsome nobleman smiled thinly to himself as he watched the pair until they were no longer in sight.

This latest meeting had certainly been an interesting one; at least, it deviated from the norm whereby Belphegor would sulk in a rather appallingly juvenile fashion while Alaisdair cheerfully buried him under piles after piles of contracts to sign. To date, Belphegor had never brought a woman with him before whenever he had to attend the mandatory meetings to discuss matters pertaining to their country, and the blonde would always be in an outrageously bad temper while he was at it, too.

Despite his violent, vicious temperament at times, the Crown Prince clearly recognized his duty to his Kingdom, even though he didn't like it very much and would go to great lengths to avoid his responsibilities if possible. That was why Belphegor had deliberately worked out a perfect working arrangement with Alaisdair that allowed the Archduke to take control of most of the day to day affairs of the state, only leaving matters of utmost importance for his perusal once a month. Alaisdair, his Archduke cousin, fulfilled his duty magnificently, and the truth was that Belphegor would have gladly abdicated the throne to the former, coincidentally the next in line for succession, if not for the fact that Alaisdair himself had no desire whatsoever to become King, and much rather preferred to be running the show from behind the scenes.

Besides, Belphegor truly was every bit the genius that he had been lauded to be, and Alaisdair was shrewd enough to recognize the merits of having a King who clearly knew how to manage his Kingdom, on the rare occasion when Belphegor was gracious enough to actually employ his intelligence, of course. For all his deceptive short temper and impatience, the Crown Prince had been well trained in strategy and planning almost from birth, immaculately groomed from an early age in preparation for his ascension to the throne. The fact that Belphegor was uncannily adept at predicting events that would affect their country and concocting effective countermeasures to take full advantage of every such occasion made him a formidable leader that his Kingdom could not afford to lose, though Alaisdair did wish that his cousin would regard his royal responsibilities more highly than his loyalties to the Varia, and by extent, the Vongola Famiglia.

But of course beggars can't be choosers, and the Archduke was vaguely relieved that the younger Crown Prince was at least making some effort to divide his time between serving as a Varia assassin and managing his country. With luck, time would mature the hedonistic tendencies of the young monarch, and last night's meeting had given the older aristocrat some hope that Belphegor would eventually settle down some.

Alaisdair had certainly not missed the unspoken implications of Belphegor bringing Haru here, the latter every inch the lady in the midst of all the debauchery and callous lust that the Prince had certainly been no stranger to. The Archduke would also have to be _blind_ not to notice the dazzling choker on the young woman's neck that all but advertized Bel's coat of arms. The blonde had never been discreet when it came to marking his territory, though this was definitely the first time he was doing it for a woman.

_That_ gave Alaisdair hope.

Who knows; with the right woman, perhaps the infamous 'Prince the Ripper' could be tamed, after all.

* * *

"Where do you want to go now?"

Haru turned her head to look at Belphegor. They were in the streets of Champs Elysees, standing on the busy sidewalk as they waited for Bel's chauffer to pick them up.

The blonde Varia executive glanced sideways at his lover. She was staring at him with disbelief, and he arched an eyebrow, not that anyone could see it behind that long golden veil of his.

"Why are you gaping at me?" he demanded, a tint of exasperation in his tone. Haru quickly schooled her expression to a less exaggerated one.

"You are asking me where _I_ want to go?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

He started to look distinctly irritated, but there was no denying the mild light of happiness on her face.

"We don't have to return to Italy straightaway?" she asked, starting to grow excited at the prospect of exploring the beautiful city of Paris.

He looked away from her, irrationally irritated by the bloody ridiculous thought that had treacherously flitted through his mind, that she actually looked more than pretty with her eyes sparkling like stars, a bright smile directed right at him.

"Don't make me change my mind," he sneered quite grouchily. "You pleased me earlier, so it amused me to grant you this."

He was being his usual party pooper self again, but Haru was too thrilled by this rare opportunity to take heed of his grumpiness. Belphegor stuck his hands in his pants pockets and scowled slightly when he saw the unaffected smile still on her face. Before he could try to burst her bubble, the beaming woman stepped towards him, tiptoed, and dropped an excitable kiss on his cheek. He paused at her spontaneous act of affection, turning sharply to stare at her, his frown slipping off his face in his surprise, but Haru's smile merely widened.

"I want to visit the Louvre," she told him happily as she pulled away, dropping back on her heels. He was still looking at her, and she tilted her head slightly.

"Well, can we go? I read online last night that it will be open till ten tonight. We still have enough time to view most of the exhibits if we hurry."

She was giving him an expectant look, and the moment he got over his brief shock, he scowled fiercely at her again.

"Why did you do that?" he snapped out suddenly.

"Do what?" she asked blithely, not really paying attention to him. Haru was already thinking of the awe inspiring landmark she was about to visit, all but vibrating with anticipation.

He glowered at her, once again irritated by how oblivious the woman was. Did the little idiot go about kissing innocent, unsuspecting men so often that she was completely unfazed by her actions?

"Never mind," he bit out, looking quite cross. The discreet, chartered BMW with tinted windows pulled up to the curb then, and Belphegor reached out to open the backdoor of the vehicle. He gestured impatiently for Haru to get in, and, although exasperated by the abrupt mood swings of the Prince, she still ducked obediently into the interior of the car. He followed in after her swiftly and the Bimmer set into motion as soon as he shut the door.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness, Mademoiselle Miura. Destination?" The chauffer was formally dressed and had the faintest French accent, and Haru was instantly fascinated with the man's elaborate uniform. She flashed the servant a friendly smile through the rearview mirror, and Belphegor all but growled at the poor driver.

"The Louvre," the golden-haired royal snapped imperiously, "And step on it."

The chauffer quickly answered his assent, and they were immediately on their way to the world famous museum. Haru was all but squirming with happiness and excitement then, and she beamed at her grumpy-looking lover.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" the brunette gushed happily, and Belphegor sourly thought to himself that this irrational woman had definitely not expressed even a tenth of the joy she was showing now when he had presented her the priceless diamond choker that most women would have killed to possess. However, a mere trip to the bloody museum, of all things, had quickly rendered her excited enough to shower him with spontaneous acts of affection that she sure as hell had never bothered with before.

Disgusted, Belphegor had no choice but to come to the conclusion that his lover really was a complete and utter _nerd_.

Still, as he watched her stare at the passing landmarks outside, bemusedly enchanted by the old world charm of Paris' historical infrastructure, a part of him wondered idly if he could convince her to kiss him again of her own accord in the near future.

…of course, he would probably have to bring her to a few more dusty, boring museums before it excited her enough to throw herself at him, but they were in Europe after all, the continent of all things really old and really boring. There was sure to be something that would get her juices flowing, metaphorically _and_ literally speaking, of course.

Belphegor was suddenly feeling quite cheerful at the thought, and when Haru turned to look at him, she was somehow not very surprised to see that her lover's mood had changed again.

"You are so weird, Bel," she told him, but with none of the usual heat.

He smirked at her.

"Well, you aren't exactly normal yourself, Miss All-But-Orgasmed-At-The-Mention-Of-A-Museum."

Haru spluttered.

"It's not _just_ a museum!" she retorted, appalled by the blasphemy. "It's _the_ Louvre, and you are a pervert."

She spoke so matter-of-factly and he didn't deny her accusation.

"I'm a healthy man," he remarked quite reasonably. "Of course I'd be interested in anything that'd make you all hot and excited."

Haru flushed and gave him a narrow-eyed stare.

"Not funny," she muttered.

He reached towards her and curled a lock of her brown hair around his index finger, tugging insistently. Haru tried to bat him away, irritated by the action, but he persisted and moved towards her, only letting her hair go to curl his arm around her shoulders. He bent his head to hers, his mouth lingering near her ear as he playfully breathed hot air over her sensitive skin. She shivered, and squirmed slightly when he drew her earlobe between his teeth to nibble.

"Bel," she breathed softly, and he let go of her to press his face against the side of her neck, and she could feel his lips curve into an amused smirk.

"You know," he confided quite cheekily against her sweet smelling skin. "I can think of many other things that will make you hot and excited when we are on the way back to Italy, fifty thousand feet above sea level."

It was quite apparent that he had not forgotten about his less than innocent intention to bed her when they returned to his aircraft. Haru pulled away slightly and turned to him with large, dark eyes. Much to his surprise, she gave him a small smirk of her own.

"I will hold you to it," she challenged mildly, and he chuckled softly.

"We can always head for the airfield now, you know," the golden-haired royal suggested with dark, silky promise, but Haru immediately objected with vehemence.

"Belphegor, if you don't take me to the Louvre today, then you can get 'hot and excited' by yourself when we get back!"

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Well, with Rasiel dead, Belphegor is technically next in line to the throne, which makes him King. However, since he still isn't willing to settle down to lead his country, his title is remains that of Crown Prince. I'm not sure if canon-verse Belphegor still has a kingdom to lead or if his citizens had long since overthrown his crazy family and declared good riddance, but in this fic, he remains the reigning monarch of his country.

You can blame it on me, because I, for one, find it amusing as hell to imagine a nation run by a strip club owner and a maniacal assassin.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Yes, Belphegor, not every girl considers diamonds their best friend. Haru was such a tomboy and a hellion when she was fourteen that I doubt she would be more thrilled with his gift choker as compared to a simple trip to the Louvre.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

The relationship between Belphegor and Haru is slow to progress, but they are slowly getting there! Flustered!Bel is amazingly fun to write—he gets mad so easily, haha. I hope you guys enjoyed the small development between this adorable couple as much as I enjoyed writing it!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	20. Chapter 20

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6611

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer****:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/06/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

"…What is…this?"

For a brief moment, Haru stared at the child standing between Fran and Lussuria with pure incomprehension in her eyes. The little one looked to be around five or six years old at most. He was very well dressed and had a head of fine, moon spun golden hair and a tiny silver crown on his head. Long, perfectly straight fringe covered a good portion of his pale, doll-like face; and then there was the overall innocent, angelic appearance that made him resemble a young cherub.

He looked _disturbingly familiar_, and with great reluctance, Haru lifted her gaze from the young child and back to Fran and Lussuria.

"Who…is this?"

The brunette sounded like she really did not know what to make of the strange sight before her, not that anyone could fault her for her reaction. Young children were _not_ a common sight in the Varia castle, after all.

Still, Haru felt like she should recognize the child…

The Varia executives must have seen the way she was slowly beginning to form her own conclusions regarding the matter, for Lussuria quickly raised his hands in the air and shook them in a negative gesture.

"Ah, no! Haru-chan, don't worry! This child here is not Bel's illegitimate offspring or anything, ahahahahaha!"

Haru felt her eyes widen at the notion. _Illegitimate…offspring? Belphegor's?_

On second thought, the boy certainly looked similar enough to Bel to be of direct blood relation to her lover, and at the age he appeared to be, Bel would have to have been around nineteen or twenty when he fathered the child, which was actually quite plausible.

The tiny, niggling, uncomfortable feeling in the vicinity of Haru's chest bloomed at the notion of Belphegor being intimate with other women, but Haru hastily dismissed those useless thoughts. The Prince had certainly been no virgin the first time they had sex, and therefore it should be of no surprise to Haru that he had been with other women prior to her. And besides, it was not as if they were really in a romantic relationship. If anything, it was more of a mutually beneficial arrangement, and with that thought planted firmly in mind, Haru forcibly shrugged off her discomfort and focused her attention on Lussuria and Fran.

And speaking of Bel….where was he?

"Where's Bel? Shouldn't he be back with you guys?" she asked in a reasonably composed manner.

The two Varia Commanders glanced briefly at each other before they both stared at the little boy quietly standing between them.

"Ah…Haru-chan," Lussuria started sheepishly. "There has been a little accident…"

* * *

It took an entire hour for Lussuria and Fran to convince Haru that the six year old boy was actually Belphegor. To be more accurate, it was a Belphegor who had come from exactly twenty years ago, and it was from there on that Haru learned that the routine visit to one of their allies, the Bovino Famiglia, had resulted in an accident no one had quite expected.

Thanks to a long chain of domino-like events, Belphegor had somehow gotten hit by an untested Bovino prototype bazooka weapon, and when the chaos finally died down, in his place had stood his six year old self, with no memories of his alliance with the Varia or any knowledge of the present-future whatsoever. It was only later that Lussuria and Fran learned from the creators of the unique time-travelling weapon that they had no idea just when Belphegor's past and present selves would switch back, though they did assure them that things would go back to normal. Eventually.

"I'm sorry, Haru-chan," a chagrinned Lussuria had told her. "I want to help you with this, but our mission isn't completed yet and we need to leave right away. Can you take care of Bel?"

It was almost mind boggling. Due to a totally unexpected accident, her powerful guardian _slash_ lover had been reduced to the form of a child and their roles were now completely reversed.

And so here they both were, sitting in one of the many living rooms that littered the Varia castle and staring at each other. Haru really had no idea what to say, and Lussuria and Fran's hasty exit hadn't helped much either. They had all but shoved the six year old Bel at her once she was made aware of the situation, and had then left quickly to fulfill their individual assignments. Haru thought that they probably weren't quite sure what to do with their suddenly 'diminished' teammate either, and of course, the best choice would be to leave him with her.

Haru examined the young boy curiously. He had not made a single sound from the very moment she saw him till now, and he hadn't smiled once either. In fact, he really was like a little doll, silent and emotionless. Privately, Haru thought that Belphegor was one seriously creepy kid, though she wondered what had happened throughout the years that had caused him to become the insanely smiling, bloodthirsty and caustic man that he was now.

His base personality hadn't changed a bit though, she decided after studying the younger version of her lover a little more. His six-year old self was obviously quite introverted, and Haru knew that the adult version was just as emotionally withdrawn, only he hid it better, behind those smiling masks and sardonic mannerisms. Young Belphegor seemed quite strong willed though. Despite the unfamiliar people and environment, he wasn't panicking, nor was he whining or crying the way Lambo always did when he was at that age. Still, Haru felt that the golden-haired boy had to be feeling a bit apprehensive over this situation at least, and her eyes softened.

She always had a weakness for young children and this time around was no exception, even if the kid in question was her lover, only twenty years younger. Once Haru got over that rather unsettling fact, it was easy to see the young blonde as the little boy he really was.

Haru scooted across the couch to her new charge, leaning towards him and bending over slightly to be on eye level with Bel. She smiled.

"Hey, let's go get something to eat."

If she was expecting a reply from the boy, then she would have been sorely disappointed. The six year old hardly reacted to her encouraging smile and positive attitude, and undaunted, Haru tried again.

"I think the chef is making crème brûlée for dessert today-"

"Don't touch me, peasant." The young boy jerked away with disgust when Haru made to lay her hand on his shoulder. His childish tone was proud and snooty, and the brunette stared at him in surprise, not expecting the sudden change in attitude.

"Peasant?" she echoed, brow furrowing.

Now that the other two Varia executives were no longer in the vicinity, the young Prince was beginning to show his true colors.

The boy _glared_. Haru could not see his eyes of course, but still, she was rather certain that was what Belphegor had done.

"I'm a Prince, and servants should not touch their masters," the deceptively angelic looking child sniffed imperiously, and Haru twitched.

_Servant? Her? _

A part of her wanted to grab the obnoxious little brat and shake all the rudeness right out of him, but Haru suddenly had a better idea. Judging by the way he was behaving, she could very well guess that he was quite used to having his way, with everyone jumping to fulfill each and every one of his demands.

And so, she did the next best thing.

Very calmly, very sweetly, Haru lifted her hand, reached towards the boy, and _pinched_ him on the cheek.

"Oh, aren't you so precocious, little honey bear," she cooed saccharinely, the smile on her face never wavering. Her six year old opponent was definitely caught flatfooted, not expecting her to react like that, and when he tried instinctively to draw back, she merely tightened her hold on him. He started to squirm, protesting the entire way.

"Let go! That hurt, you ugly hag!"

In no way had his 'polite' address of her endeared him to her, and the young Prince yelped when a vindictive Haru applied a bit more pressure to his cheek.

She giggled girlishly in an almost unpleasantly high-pitched tone.

"You are soooooo adorable, pookie poo!"

He was flailing clumsily about and trying to bite her by then, all semblance of royal composure gone. Unfortunately for him, his antics were nothing compared to that of his older version, and therefore Haru was hardly fazed. He was making small grunting sounds like a puppy as he tried to get back at her, steadily getting more frustrated when he failed to attack her. She had a longer reach than him, after all.

Eventually, Haru felt a little sorry for the angry little boy. She rested her other hand on the top of his head and ruffled his hair messily instead. The young alter ego of her lover growled, and Haru thought that he was certainly a lot cuter now compared to his earlier snotty attitude.

She laughed heartily this time, the sound genuine and good-natured and cheerful, and the little blonde scowled fiercely.

"Shall we go have dinner now, babycakes?"

* * *

Dinner came and when smoothly, Haru felt. It was one of those rare days where the rest of the Varia were all out at the moment and she was all alone with Belphegor, which was a good thing because the little boy was still sulking something fierce after being involuntarily dragged into the dining room and really wasn't being good company.

Haru didn't care, though. She smiled and thoroughly enjoyed her delicious meal with relish, chattering on and on in between, talking about anything and everything that caught her attention. Her nonchalant behavior only seemed to irk the young royal even more, and inwardly, Haru was quietly laughing with mirth.

It seemed that, child or adult, Belphegor simply hated to be ignored. He was pouting really cutely and Haru almost could not believe that this adorable child would one day become the lunatic, the terribly violent Storm Unit Commander of the Vongola's independent assassination team. She also had to fight the overwhelming urge to cuddle the little boy and squeeze him to her bosom—if possible; young Belphegor was definitely one of the cutest children she had ever seen.

Only the fact that he was obviously touchy about such matters and she didn't want to frighten him had curbed her natural impulse to mother the young Prince half to death, and so the pretty Japanese woman chose instead to tease the boy, quite amused with his reaction.

He was only six years old after all, and dangerous, invincible future assassin or not, he was still having a bit of trouble eating his spaghetti without smearing the tomato sauce all over himself. Needless to say, Haru was incredibly charmed, and at last, could not help but reach over with a napkin to wipe his cheeks for him.

The young, irritable blonde promptly tried to stab her with his fork in retaliation, but she easily dodged his clumsy strike. Oh, Belphegor was definitely going to have to move faster if he hoped to catch her unaware. His older self had 'trained' her to the point of being highly alert and agile with his crazy antics and this younger version of him was definitely nowhere near his alter ego's level yet.

"You are not allowed to play when you are eating, young man," Haru merely admonished quite cheerfully as she returned to her meal.

"I wasn't playing, you crazy woman!" the boy barked angrily at her, but to the child's increasing frustration, the strange woman was unfazed. Why wasn't she intimidated by him at all? He was a Prince of royal blood; she was supposed to defer to him!

"Enough talking. Eat your spaghetti, kiddo. We have things to do later."

"You have no right to address me with such familiarity. My name is Belphegor," the young blonde gritted out sharply with frustrated emphasis. "His Royal Highness _Prince_ Belphegor Reinhardt Alixandre Tsiveone II. You may address me as 'Your Royal Highness.'"

It was rather apparent that the young royal was learning quite well how to put down people who dared to overstep their bounds around him, young as he was now, but unfortunately for him, Haru was nowhere near intimidated by his huffiness and snotty demeanor.

If anything, it was all Haru could do to hide her amusement when she realized that the abbreviation of Belphegor's lengthy names essentially spelt out 'B.R.A.T.' Doe-brown eyes twinkled with quiet mirth.

"That's quite a mouthful; I think I still prefer to call you whatever I like," she sounded offensively affectionate to him, and the boy bristled.

"You don't get to call me whatever you want!" child Belphegor snapped. "Because I'm a Prince!"

It was a phrase that the golden-haired royal would use frequently and rather flippantly in the future, often irritating those whom he had come into contact with to no end. Haru didn't mind it too much this time around, though. The younger version of her lover was looking so adorably disgruntled at the moment that, if anything, the light of amusement in her eyes only increased.

"Why are you not afraid of me?"

It was so strange that a six-year old was demanding why she did not tremble with dread in his presence, and Haru wondered just what kind of upbringing he had to expect the people around him to fear him.

Haru put down her utensil by her plate and turned to give her full attention to the agitated boy sitting beside her.

"Because you are Belphegor to me," she told him truthfully, patiently. "That's why I'm not afraid of you."

Genius he might be, but he was still a child now and therefore failed to grasp the complete nuance of her message. But it wasn't hard for young Belphegor to see the truth in her simple, straightforward tone, the clear lack of deceit in her open gaze. The boy's lips tugged down in a fierce frown as the enigma that was this strange woman refused to explain herself to him.

"Who are you?" he demanded at last.

She flashed him a small grin.

"I'm Haru," she told him. "Just Haru."

"You are not a servant," he pointed out. That much was clear by now, judging by her audacious behavior towards him. No commoner had ever treated him with such casual disrespect before!

The brunette nodded in agreement.

"No, I'm not."

"Then who are you?" the boy asked again, determined to know her relation to his future self. "Who are you to me?"

Haru faltered at that. Her mouth opened but no words came out. There was simply no way she would tell the six-year old prince that she was his lover. Or rather, she would become his lover in another twenty or so years down the road, but he wouldn't know it now.

"I'm…" For a brief moment, she floundered about for words, trying to find a way to describe her relationship with his future self. Then, she found it, and the answer came quite naturally, much to her own inward surprise.

"I'm someone you will protect in the future," she told him at last, and it was true. His adult self was assigned to be her guardian for the duration of her lengthy stay in Italy, and even though it seemed at times that she needed protecting _from_ him, he hadn't got her killed yet.

The young boy looked sharply at her.

"Why would I protect you?" he asked suspiciously, and Haru was starting to get the idea that perhaps she shouldn't be speaking so much of the present (future?) to the startlingly astute young prince.

Then again, judging by how impossibly quick witted and perceptive his older self was, Haru decided that she really shouldn't be surprised. It was a reminder that just because he was only six now did not mean that she could treat him like she normally would other children. Her diminished lover might be less guarded and hostile and…_strange_…compared to his adult version, but already she could detect the faint resemblances in his speech and mannerisms that she knew he would grow into eventually.

"Why would I protect you?" the young blonde asked again, this time a tad more impatiently, but Haru shook her head.

"That's something you have to find out for yourself. If you can, of course," she told him quite cheerily, her smile widening a bit more at his growing scowl of displeasure. "But for now, let's hurry up and finish dinner. You need a bath after this and we need to find some clothes that will fit you."

* * *

The rest of the evening passed with little to no trouble. Belphegor was mostly cooperative (relatively speaking) and it only took a bit of hassling and sickeningly sweet pet-names from her before it mortified the boy enough to quit terrorizing his servants and he allowed them to take proper care of him. Haru would have offered to help, but Belphegor's loyal servants would not hear any of it, politely proclaiming it their duty to look after their Prince.

His personal butler, Mortigor, had expressed his gratitude on behalf of the royal staff for her interference.

"It has been a long time since we had to deal with His Highness at this age," the man had remarked with rueful nostalgia, and Haru perked up with curious interest. She had more or less guessed that Bel's servants had been working for him for quite some time already, enough not to be alarmed by his dangerous, sometimes crazy antics and violent mood swings and tantrums at least, but she had no idea that some of them had been with him for so long.

There really hadn't been any chance for Haru to ask either; Belphegor's servants were impressively efficient and discreet and were therefore rather hard to get hold off. They also kept wisely to themselves and knew better than to gossip about their Prince, and therefore it was no surprise that Haru was seizing this rare opportunity to indulge in her curiosity.

"Mortigor-san, have all of you been working for Belphegor for very long?" she asked curiously, obviously in reference to the Prince's current tender age.

The tall, thin, dignified manservant who looked to be in his late forties nodded staidly. "Yes, Lady Haru. I'm proud to say that most of us had served under His Highness since his birth. Do not worry, we will allow no harm to befall His Highness in his current vulnerable state."

The firm promise of protection assured Haru somewhat. After all, Lussuria had warned that Belphegor would be in danger if his many enemies ever caught wind that he was now reduced to the form of a young, defenseless child. The royal butler's vague statement also confirmed what Haru had always suspected; it was most likely that Belphegor's servants were trained to defend themselves as well as their charge if the need ever arose.

She nodded.

"I'm really relieved to hear that," she admitted candidly. "Lussuria mentioned it was most likely that Belphegor has somehow gotten transported to the past," she paused briefly, uncertainly, before she blurted out her worry. "Will he be in any danger there?"

Haru didn't even know why she was asking this kind of question, only that she was feeling quite apprehensive about this whole incident and it didn't sit well with her at all that she had no way of knowing if Belphegor was in trouble twenty years in the past. Whether she liked it or not, it seemed that he had somehow gained a firm foothold in her life and her thoughts and against her will. She _worried_ for him, this insane, blades-wielding, psychopathic assassin who also happened to be her lover.

The faithful servant easily sensed the genuine anxiety reflected in the tone and eyes of his Prince's consort, and quickly sought to reassure her.

"Have faith, my Lady. His Highness is a formidable warrior who will not be easily brought down. He has faced powerful enemies determined to take his life since a very young age and none who tried have succeeded yet. Prince Belphegor will return to us eventually, just please wait patiently until then."

The butler sounded quietly confident and there was no doubt that he firmly believed in the abilities of his master. In the face of such complete faith, Haru could not help but feel her nerves settle down some. But she was still curious.

"How can you be so sure, Mortigor-san?"

The stern, stoic features of the manservant cracked slightly to allow a small, indecipherable smile to slip through.

"Prince Belphegor will not abandon his responsibilities. He protects those who belong to him, and therefore, he will return. I believe you should know that by now, Lady Haru."

Haru's eyes widened slightly with dawning understanding. And then she started to smile slightly.

Despite all his faults, it was true that Belphegor had never failed those who depended on him when it mattered. And now she could also see that Bel's servants were loyal to him not just because they were obligated to, but also because they truly had faith in their master.

"You know Bel very well, don't you, Mortigor-san?"

The older man inclined his head modestly. "I am but a lowly servant who has been with His Highness for a very long time," he agreed, indirectly implying that this was a group of people who had all but raised the parentless Prince to what he had become now. "His Highness has his flaws, but he is still a born and bred Prince through and through. I humbly urge you to forgive him whenever he unintentionally upsets you, my Lady."

They both knew very well that there was no unintentional—Belphegor deliberately set her off, and Haru looked a mite disgruntled at the thought. Sighing inwardly, she understood what Mortigor was trying to tell her though.

Belphegor was far from perfect, but at the same time, he wasn't exactly evil, either.

He was just…_quirky_, in the highly dangerous, demented, will-make-you-bleed-like-a-butchered-pig kind of way. Haru grimaced inwardly, wondering to herself for the nth time just why on earth she was so concerned over such a crazy, perverted, irritating person.

"You should retire and rest now, my Lady," Mortigor suggested helpfully then. "Tomorrow will be a busy day. His Highness was quite a handful in his youth."

Haru looked hesitantly at the butler. "Are you sure you do not require my help?"

Again, the man gave her a cryptic smile.

"I will send for you should we prove unsuccessful in getting the young Prince to bed. You have a remarkably strong affinity with His Highness, even as he is now," the manservant commented.

Haru blushed shyly at the praise.

"Oh no, it's just that I have a soft spot for children," she demurred modestly.

The butler appeared vaguely interested.

"That is good to know. The royal bloodline should not be allowed to end with our Prince," the man remarked calmly.

Haru's jaw dropped open at the manservant's deceptively casual remark. His implications were quite clear, and Haru promptly turned a brighter red. Was there anyone left in this castle who was still unaware of her physical relationship with Belphegor?

"Ah, Mortigor-san—!"

"I think our Prince has chosen well," the butler continued to announce evenly. Haru gaped in surprise, not sure what to say. Mortigor bowed slightly to her, a sign of respect that she wasn't sure she had rightfully earned.

"Good evening, my Lady. Rest well."

* * *

"Wake up, commoner."

At roughly two a.m. in the morning, Haru was roused awake by a childish, imperious voice that sounded just too familiar for her to ignore. The groggy brunette pried open her eyes reluctantly and was immediately greeted to the sight of a certain child-sized Prince standing by her bed, staring at her with his arms folded across his young chest. He was dressed in a small, matching set of dark blue satin pajamas decorated all over with bright yellow crescent moons, and for a brief moment or so, Haru could only stare at him with incomprehension.

"Wha- Bel?" she muttered fuzzily, confusedly. "What are you doing here? What time is it?"

The antique lamp on her side table shed a soft golden glow in the otherwise dark room, and as she became gradually more awake, she eventually noticed the maid who stood a respectful distance from the bed. Haru vaguely remembered the identity of this older woman—Francesca, she was named—and she was in charge of running Belphegor's household. The Caucasian woman with classic European features stepped closer the moment she sensed that she had Haru's attention, and gave the younger woman a small curtsey.

"My apologies for disturbing your rest, Lady Haru," Francesca spoke in a soft, gentle manner. "His Highness is not adjusting well to the new environment and is experiencing difficulties falling asleep. He demanded to see you."

Haru sat up and waved away the apology. "It's alright, Francesca-san," she assured the housekeeper. "You can leave him with me tonight. It's late; you will need to wake up early to fulfill your duties."

"If it won't cause you any trouble…"

"It's alright," Haru cut in kindly. She gave the now quiet Prince a wry, sideways glance. "It isn't anything I'm not used to, anyways. Get some rest, Francesca-san. You will need it. I don't think the household can manage itself without you."

A small, grateful smile graced the tired features of the older woman at Haru's appreciative tone. She dropped another curtsey.

"Thank you, Lady Haru. Have a pleasant evening."

Haru waited till Francesca had retreated from the room before turning to Belphegor. She found the boy scowling at her. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well?" she asked. "Are you going to stand by my bed all night? Come over here and sit beside me, we will figure out what to do with you after that."

The woman was clearly like none he had ever encountered in his short six years of life, Belphegor promptly decided then. It was to his knowledge that most noblewomen did not care to have their rest disturbed, and he had been almost certain that his demand for her to accompany him in the godforsaken hours of the morning would make her very angry and quite miserable. He had been wrong, unfortunately, and if anything, she just seemed resignedly amused by her situation, and was far from annoyed. The six-year old Prince wondered if perhaps there was something wrong with this woman.

That must be it; why else was she not angry at all? It was normally an easy feat for the spoilt young Prince to drive whomever he wished up _and_ over the wall, and those pathetic commoners would roll over onto their backs and all but _beg_ him to do it too, never daring to go against him for fear of retribution from the royal family. They would smile sickly and bear with whatever atrocities he could come up with and it filled the boy with sick pleasure to see the fear in their eyes, the trepidation that paralyzed their movements.

This Haru wasn't like that at all though. She was unafraid of him, and she wasn't intimidated by his royal title. He had expected her to be yelling at him already, but strangely enough, she had yet to lose her temper despite all of his antics, meant to drive her mad. If anything, everything that he had done so far to stop her from acting so disturbingly familiar with him had backfired miserably, and that bewildered and irritated the young Prince the most. He hardly knew her at all, but unfairly enough, it seemed that she knew him _very, very well_. She had her ways and mannerisms to get around his usually unmanageably angry and violent temperament, young as he still was now, and she did it so effortlessly and easily that the boy was downright confused.

Who was she really?

"You know," Haru spoke up almost conversationally then. "After waking me up so inconsiderately, the least you can do is come over here and keep me company, Bel."

She was still sitting on the bed, a wry smile on her face. Although she was not exactly unaffected by having to wake up so abruptly, she really wasn't all that upset either, and not just pretending, too. Even at such a young age, Belphegor had already learned to tell the difference between the hypocritical, artificial people who surrounded him more often than not, forced to associate with him due to his rank and highborn status, weakly simpering because he was one of the two heirs in line to the royal throne, fake adoration and enthusiasm in their voices whereas their eyes shone cold with ambition and distaste.

This woman before him was one of the handful of rare ones who did not look at him that way, and while it had taken the young blonde _years_ before he truly warmed up to his personal staff, there was something about this strange woman, the openness of her soul and the friendly, playful warmth in her gaze that was nothing like the respectful, slightly stiff demeanors of his caretakers whom he had known for his entire life.

Truth to be told, the young boy had no idea what to make of Haru, or even how to behave around her—and that irritated the royal child something fierce. He obviously didn't like changes, and the sudden intrusion that was Haru had pretty much counted as one. The Prince was feeling quite close to throwing a temper tantrum over his confusion, and his frown indicated as much.

Haru sighed inwardly as she watched the growing scowl on his face, an indication of his mulish behavior. Belphegor was known to be terribly stubborn whenever the mood struck him, and the fact that his miniature version was reflecting an echo of that part of his character should not surprise anyone. He was making no move to approach her whatsoever; really, the day Bel did anything the easy way would most definitely be the same day pigs would sprout wings and fly. Even at this age, the Prince did not do anything he did not wish until he was good and ready—though Haru supposed that there were ways for her to speed up that process….

"I'm not going to eat you, you know," she told him then, almost teasingly. "You don't have to be so scared of me."

As she had predicted, her deliberately offhanded remark immediately provoked a reaction. The young boy bristled and went on the defensive.

"I'm not scared of you," Belphegor promptly retorted, and to prove that he really wasn't, the boy quickly climbed up the bed, clambering up with childish clumsiness to her side.

Doe brown eyes shone with secret laughter at the irritable, insulted expression on the small, pointed features of the child Prince. The Bel of the future was definitely nowhere near this innocently gullible compared to his younger self of course, but still, Haru found herself quite charmed by this mini version of her lover. Who would have guessed that Bel was such an adorable child in the past?

"You are supposed to be scared of me," the six year old muttered almost disgruntledly, incomprehensively, giving her what was no doubt a fierce glower under that long fringe of his. "Not the other way around!"

Haru could not help herself, a small laugh escaped her. "Well, we can't always have what we want," she told him, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

The boy scowled harder. "Why not?" he demanded to know. "I'm a Prince!"

Haru shook her head at him. "It doesn't work that way, Bel. Life doesn't work that way,"

The young Prince did not look pleased by the implication that she doubted his omnipotence as a member of the royal family.

"I can do whatever I want! Nobody will stop me," he replied fiercely and quite snootily.

Then he promptly ruined his lofty declaration with an ill-timed sneeze.

It was early in the morning, and although all the rooms within the castle were equipped with impressive central heating systems, Haru preferred to sleep with the balcony doors thrown wide open. The air was always fresh and smelled of fresh pinecones and forest firs, though the downside was that it could get quite chilly at night. The small heap of comforters on the large bed was usually enough to solve that problem, and when Belphegor (the adult version, not this current miniature one) had insisted on sharing her bed, the subject of warmth needn't even be brought up after that—the Storm Unit Commander had her wrapped so tightly around him whenever they slept that there was no question that Haru was kept constantly warm and toasty.

But her twenty-six year old lover was not here right now; he was stranded some twenty years in the past and in his place was his shivering six year old alter ego. Unbidden, a strange, unexpected twinge of longing touched Haru at the thought of the blonde Varia assassin, and to distract herself from the disconcerting feeling, she leaned over to the young Prince and proceeded to tuck him into one of the numerous duvets on the bed.

The boy flinched slightly in automatic reaction when she first reached over to him, but when it became clear that she was only attempting to drown him in a sea of blankets, he quickly protested and tried to fling them off him.

"Stop that," Haru ordered in a surprisingly firm tone. "I don't want you to fall sick. Sit still and quit flailing about, little Prince."

"You!" the boy growled, offended by her brisk tone. "You don't give me orders! You are not allowed to!"

Haru huffed under her breath, unimpressed, and at the same time, she made sure that Belphegor was wrapped snugly beside her under the duvet.

"Of course I am allowed to give you orders," she replied quite calmly, simply unperturbed by the annoyed little boy. "For one, I'm older than you. Secondly, I'm responsible for your wellbeing. Last of all, you are still too young."

For some reason unfathomable to Haru, her innocuous statement rubbed the young blonde the wrong way. Belphegor slapped her hands violently away then, and all but bared his teeth at her like an angry little puppy. "_Do not_ treat me like a child!"

It seemed that he was particularly sensitive about that topic, and even as Haru took note of his increased agitation, she did not back down. She watched him with open curiosity.

"But you are one, aren't you?" she asked simply.

Granted, he was definitely the most matured six-year old she had ever met, with well developed speech patterns, impeccable grammar as well as an impressive vocabulary for one so young. She could still remember when Lambo was at that exact same age; the little Bovino could barely form proper sentences, but that had not made him any less adorable in Haru's eyes. There was no doubt that Belphegor had been a privileged child prodigy, born into the royal family of a small but wealthy European country, and all those factors had added up to create this incredibly accomplished, albeit somewhat arrogant and disturbingly vicious, little boy Prince.

Young Belphegor stiffened.

"Do not treat me like a child," he merely repeated in a quieter, but much colder, manner. She could sense the way he was beginning to withdraw emotionally from her, setting up a mental barrier to keep her at a distance. The slight monotonic quality of his voice disturbed her at a level that she did not understand herself, and for a moment, it was as if the boy had abruptly regressed to the state of a lifeless porcelain doll.

Haru could not help but feel her heart ache as she watched him, this strangely vulnerable blank-faced little boy who would one day grow up to become her crazed, bloodlusting assassin lover who could care less what others thought of him. Young Belphegor's emotional defenses were still nowhere as impenetrable as that of his older self's, though by god the boy had certainly tried. The arrogant demeanor, the rude, outright offensive behaviors, the aggressive temper tantrums. The only things he lacked still were the capability—and the utter willingness—to commit physical violence, that unshakable Cheshire-like, court jester mask that he never failed to put on for the rest of the world to see, the deadly abilities of his trade that she knew he would pick up with effortless ease.

Haru knew nothing of the circumstances that could force a six year old child to behave the way Bel was now, but she was not entirely clueless. The conversation with Mortigor had shed some precious light on the utter mystery that was Belphegor's murky past. The loyal butler had not stooped to the level of gossiping about his master with her, but Haru could read between the lines and glean the unspoken truths that the older man had discreetly alluded to. It was becoming increasingly evident that whatever childhood Belphegor had, it was one that had indirectly influenced him to become the dangerous man he would eventually grow into.

But this was his path to walk; the past was already set in stone and Haru knew better than to even think of trying to change it. The battle/time travel fiasco with the Millefiore Famiglia had taught all of them a powerful lesson. The time paradox was a mysterious and unpredictable puzzle that served no Man, and any changes made in one period of time would ultimately cause of domino-like chain of events that would irrevocably alter and affect other time periods, be it the past, present, or future. It was like the Butterfly Effect, and as much as Haru quietly yearned to help this little boy beside her, to make his life better for him, she knew that she couldn't—and shouldn't.

After all, she knew for a fact that Bel would turn out just fine. He was definitely no paragon of virtue, but he wouldn't become some evil overlord hell bent on taking over the world for his own nefarious purposes either. If she had to rate him, she would say that he would be sixty percent good and forty percent bad, with an additional tolerance level of plus-minus ten percent depending on his mood.

Haru smiled softly to herself as she regarded this boy who was the child form of her dangerous Varia lover.

"Little Prince," she spoke gently, honestly, then. "You are still too young to take on the world by yourself yet."

Her soft, stunningly tender tone was enough to coax him to turn his head to her, his attention almost unwillingly concentrated on her patient, openly affectionate features. "You must become stronger. You have much to learn still."

The look on her face told him that she was hardly being patronizing, that she _understood_, that she _cared_. It was almost paralyzing for the young boy to witness the unhidden emotions shining in her eyes, the gentle look on her face, neither fake nor concealed.

She was only a stranger; why did she care so much about him?

"Why do you care?" the young Prince blurted out then, a frown on his face.

Haru did not even think to lie to him.

"Because you are important to me, that's why."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

My apologies for the slightly late update, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

As you can already guess, this is the beginning of yet another mini-arc for this fic. I thought that it would be interesting for Haru to meet a six-year old Bel, not to mention how the child version of Belphegor would react to Haru in return. The next few chapters will revolve around Haru and mini!Bel, so you are warned!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Since I have no idea whatsoever of Belphegor's full name, I admit that I have more or less made up his royal style and title. I couldn't find any sources that could give me the accurate information I need, but if any of you know, feel free to correct me.

For this fic, Belphegor's royal style and title will remain as: His Royal Highness _Prince_ Belphegor Reinhardt Alixandre Tsiveone II.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Mortigor and Francesca are both my OCs. They supervise the other servants and manage Belphegor's household. Mortigor is a butler and Francesca is a housekeeper. Since Rasiel had a butler in his service in canon-verse, I figured that it wasn't all that unlikely for Belphegor to have a group of loyal staff as well.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	21. Chapter 21

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6294

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 03/07/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty One**

* * *

When Bel woke up early the next morning, the young boy found himself bundled snugly under an impressive mountain of blankets, but that wasn't what had startled the child Prince. What stunned the boy was the warm body that lay curled protectively around him, the arm wrapped around his shoulder and holding him close.

Haru.

She was still asleep, her breathing soft and steady, her eyes closed, a peaceful, almost pretty expression on her face. The blonde child titled his head up slightly and watched his new caretaker for a brief moment, a small frown of incomprehension already forming on his face. Once again, the six year old had no idea what to make of the situation. He wasn't exactly uncomfortable where he was; if anything, he was very comfortable and it felt…good to have someone beside him, a fact that quite surprised him. It was somewhat strange though; he wasn't used to this nice, contented feeling that made him want to cling to this brown-haired woman like a little baby animal.

The boy Prince had always slept alone for as long as he had remembered; no one had ever dared to disturb him, let alone try to sleep in the royal nursery with him. And truth to be told, he liked it that way. Anyone who dared encroach his bed would most definitely to be treated to a violent temper tantrum from the spoilt Prince; he did not like to share and very much preferred to be left alone.

_It was safe to be alone. _

But this was different. This _felt_ different. She was warm and soft and smelled really, really nice, not that Belphegor would ever admit that to anyone. He couldn't remember how he ended up sleeping beside her last night; he recalled being angry with her, but then she had soothed his upset easily, as if she had always known the right things to say to make him mellow again.

Belphegor did not know what to think. A part of him loudly demanded that this woman was dangerous and could not be trusted. She knew too much about him and was not intimidated by him at all; she was too strange and foreign and how many more times must his own relatives, his own blood kin, send assassins after him before he learned not to trust—

But he could not help it.

He could not help that he was drawn towards her no matter what his instincts were telling him, those same self-serving instincts that were developed and honed out of a necessity to preserve his own life and sanity. There was something about this woman that made the boy feel at ease around her—it was in her eyes and on her face—she did not judge him, she was genuinely affectionate towards him, _he felt safe around her_.

His trust would have been a lot harder to earn if he was just a few years older, but he was only six now, and she had been the first to make him feel this way. It was a feeling that he didn't know he craved until he had experienced it first hand, and the little Prince relaxed into Haru's protective hold.

He still did not know who she really was to him, but that was alright.

_I'm someone you will protect in the future._

Her hint had been vague and ambiguous at most, but maybe he _did_ know who she was after all.

His guess of her identity seemed to fit everything that he knew about her so far, and he wanted to shake her awake to ask if he was correct, but before he could do so, she stirred in her sleep, gathering him closer and cuddling him into her bosom. She sighed softly, still lost in dreams, and one of her hands rubbed his back comfortingly. Bel stiffened slightly at first, quite ready to push her away and blame her for getting so close to his person, but when she did not wake, he watched her warily for a brief moment or so before he slowly let down his guard again.

She was so near now that his cheek rested on the crook of her shoulder, that the crown of his head was tucked comfortably under her chin. Her soft, gentle scent surrounded him, reminded him of a subtle mixture of honeysuckle and sweetness, and the young Prince relaxed again, for the moment content to remain where he was. The repetitive sound of her gentle breathing was like a soothing lullaby to his ears, and her warmth enveloped him, protecting him from the cold, wintry climate of Italy. It wasn't long before his senses dulled, and he became more and more drowsy. His eyelids felt heavy, and the boy finally succumbed to sleep again.

* * *

"They are still fast asleep?"

Mortigor asked stoically after Francesca quietly slipped the bedroom door shut behind her. The woman turned to face her colleague and nodded.

"His Highness looks content," she confirmed in her usual quiet, sedate manner. "He is not fussing like he used to at this age."

It was not a secret amongst the royal staff that the young Prince had suffered from chronic insomnia when he was young. Unlike his older self who could sleep anywhere and at anytime, it was unusual for the boy to sleep through an entire night without at least waking up several times, usually in a bad temper and an even nastier disposition. The fact that he was still fast asleep right now, mid morning, was definitely something that quite surprised the caretakers who had looked after him since he was a newborn baby.

"It is due to Lady Haru's presence. She calms him," Mortigor confirmed. "Can you still recall how he was when he came back to us, Francesca?"

The Housekeeper nodded.

"I remember. His Highness threw such a huge tantrum when he couldn't find her."

Exactly twenty years ago, six year old Prince Belphegor had suddenly gone missing for days. The royal household had been in an uproar—there had been no sign of an intruder and it was as if the child had disappeared from his nursery like a wisp of smoke. It had been a chaotic, highly stressful time for the Prince's personal servants, at least until a lanky, blonde haired young man wearing a familiar crown had appeared amongst their midst. The man had revealed intimate details of the royal family, as well as certain information that he couldn't possibly have known—unless he was the young Prince himself, which he eventually proved himself to be.

Their young Prince had somehow been sent for a short trip to the future, and in his place was the man he would one day grow up to be, an undoubtedly dangerous, powerful individual, one worthy for them to serve under.

That man, _their Prince_, had not revealed much of what was to come in the future in the brief days that he had remained with them—instead, he had gone after as many of his enemies as he possibly could in that short window of time, taking out a number of his own relatives with a bloodthirsty ferocity and cold blooded revenge. The same group of kinsmen who had successfully assassinated his parents would pay in blood for their greed, and the bloodshed he had started in those few days his younger self would eventually finish by the time he reached the age of thirteen.

When the time came for the twenty-six year old Prince to return to his rightful place in the future, some of the most influential and powerful members of his corrupted family had already been annihilated. His brutal acts of execution would serve to buy more time for his younger self to grow and learn how to properly defend himself before the rest dared to make attempts on his life again.

And true enough, their young charge returned when his older alter ego faded away, but the young Prince had something else on his mind other than the numerous assassinations attempts that threatened his young existence.

Haru.

That name was all the child Prince could concentrate on, even months after the time travel incident. That name was obviously not native to their country, and none of the royal staff were able to locate the one the young royal had demanded. It had been a period of great stress and agitation for the boy, though eventually, as more time passed, he ceased to speak that name, and the woman who had been important enough to make such an impact on his young mind.

He forgot about her, of her name, as more important things occupied his life, as he grew up.

But his staff remembered.

When their Prince was assigned to watch over this young, intelligent woman by the name of Miura Haru, their memories stirred and they quietly speculated over the possibilities.

_Was she the one? _

And when he finally took her as his lover, making no attempt whatsoever to resist the attraction that drew him to her so, their question was more or less answered. It was obvious that the Prince did not remember his very first encounter with her still, but—

"When he returns, His Highness will remember."

* * *

That afternoon, Lussuria and Fran returned from their assignment, Squalo and Levi not far off behind them.

"Haru-chan!" A certain flamboyant martial arts expert burst into the castle's extensive library where she had been working with her young charge reading beside her. "We are back! How are things going with little Bel?"

The boy in question had gone stiff as a board, obviously not appreciating the abrupt, noisy intrusion into what had originally been a barely tolerable afternoon. Sitting beside him, Haru gave the tense child a brief look before returning her attention to the various Varia members who were walking through the door. She had intended to spend the day writing up some supplementary algorithms for the defense systems, but since none of the Varia were in the castle that day, she wasn't able to enter the highly secured dungeon vaults where all the servers and supercomputers were located. Besides, even if she could, Haru didn't think that Bel would like it very much in there. There was nothing of interest for a six year old there and Haru had no doubt that he would have been bored out of his mind within minutes of entering the vault.

Mortigor had suggested the library then, and that was how they had ended up working amongst the impressive collection of books and volumes. The huge library was even larger than the dungeon vaults, if that was possible, and was filled to the brim with all sorts of literary treasures. But what was more important to Haru was that it was quiet and completely isolated, and it really was a good alternative place for her to work in. And young Belphegor, despite being pulled twenty years into the future, quickly learned, much to his displeasure, that he was still obligated to continue with his homeschooling, accidental time traveler or not.

Francesca was supposed to take over temporarily as a tutor, but the young Prince wanted nothing to do with her. In the end, he was given a set of worksheets and Haru was tasked to make sure that he completed it all. He was to work on his French vocabulary and grammar, and she had been surprised to see the level of complexity of the questions, and became even more so when Bel completed the stack of worksheets within the space of a couple of hours. Haru was not familiar with the language, but some curious probing from her had revealed that the six year old could speak five other languages fluently and was working on mastering another three.

Or rather, his retainers and tutors had made certain that the young Prince learned the skills necessary for his possible succession to the throne in the future. That explained why the boy could speak such flawless Japanese even when he was clearly not native to her country, and once again, it was a subtle proof of his noble upbringing, the responsibilities that he already had as a mere child of six.

Haru shook herself out of her thoughts and refocused on the group of Varia Commanders who were now lounging in various parts of the spacious library. Beside her, she could feel Belphegor getting even more tense, almost as if alarmed by the proximity of the powerful assassins around him. Instinctively, Haru moved nearer towards the boy, trying to reassure him with her presence. At the same time, she smiled at Lussuria, who had by now settled flightily on the couch opposite of theirs.

"I think we are doing okay, Lussuria," she told him honestly. "Bel's slowly getting used to life here."

Levi smirked.

"Heh, I cannot believe that the overgrown brat really went and reduced himself to his real age," the Lightning Varia rumbled, deeply amused. Standing beside him and sporting a not so happy scowl was Squalo, and he did not look pleased whatsoever.

"Great. This is just fucking great," the silver-haired swordsman cussed, ignoring the fact that there was a young child in the room. It most likely had something to do with the fact that the child in question was the miniature version of his fellow assassin, and grownup Bel had been equally infamous for his potty mouth and deviant manners. Still, Haru gave the intimidating man a small frown of disapproval. It was obvious that Squalo had only recently heard the news of Bel's unwitting time travel incident and had confirmed the facts with his own two eyes now—and he was none too thrilled about it.

"How much longer before he changes back?" the Battle Commander of the Varia troops demanded. He had just returned from that stupid meeting with the other assassins from various mafia clans and was clearly not in a good mood to deal with this, an unpleasant situation that was borne due to his fellow members' combined stupidities.

Fran stirred, his dull, turquoise eyes staring unblinkingly at Squalo. "The Bovino are not sure. They estimate a time span of a few days to a few weeks."

The profuse swear words really did stream out of Squalo's surprisingly uncouth mouth then, but this time around, they were in fluent Italian, and although Haru understood not a word of it, the attentive way young Belphegor was watching him with interest told her that the boy certainly did.

"Those stupid, idiotic Bovino!" the silver haired aristocrat cursed emphatically in between long spouts of not-so-flattering remarks in his native tongue. "I will never understand how that Famiglia can be so smart and so stupid at the same time! God must have a sick sense of humor, to grant them the ability to create this type of weapon only for them to shoot themselves in the foot whenever they get to use it!"

Privately, Haru thought that Squalo was exaggerating somewhat. Sure, she had never met any Bovino save for Lambo, and even though he had been quite clumsy and awkward when he was a lot younger (and still was a bit so at times now that he was a teenager), there was no way that his entire family could be that bad, could it?

With the abruptness of a hurricane changing course, Squalo quickly switched targets, his icy blue eyes narrowing dangerously on the young blonde child who would one day become Varia's Storm Unit Commander.

"Voooi! And what was that idiot doing? How could any self respecting Varia get himself hit by something as trivial as a Bovino Bazooka?"

"It was a new prototype," Fran replied blankly, almost boredly, in the face of the openly agitated swordsman. "We were not expecting a heat-sensing, intelligence unit homing missile."

At that, Squalo cussed even more, and it went to the point where Haru was considering clapping her hands over Belphegor's ears when he stopped abruptly.

"Ah, fuck it all," the nobleman growled, slumping suddenly and looking as if all his hot air had finally dissipated. "We can't do anything about Bel now until he changes back, so that means some of us will have to pick up the slack until he returns to normal. Fran, Levi, your respective territories border Bel's. I don't care how; you two split the responsibilities and make sure that the operations continue to run smoothly."

The Mist Varia revealed no visible reaction towards the inevitable order, though Levi appeared quite irritated by his increased workload. He looked like he was about to argue but Squalo shot him a glare cold enough to turn water into ice. Grumbling under his breath, the Lightning Unit Commander backed down reluctantly, not very happy, but smart enough to choose his battles wisely.

"Miura Haru," Squalo barked out then, and Haru startled, turning her gaze to the Rain Varia and giving him a slightly wary look.

"Yes, Squalo-san?"

"You will be put in charge of Belphegor's wellbeing until the effects of the Bazooka reverses itself," he ordered without pause, fully expecting her agreement on the matter. "I'm aware that this is not what you are here for, but you will be well compensated for your efforts-"

"I don't require compensation," Haru cut him off then, and Squalo seemed to suddenly remember her relationship with their resident Prince.

"Ah, yes, you are Bel's lov-"

"Please don't say it," Haru blurted out in a quick rush, shooting the boy Prince a quick, sideways glance. "I don't think Bel is old enough to understand what that means."

For a brief moment or so, the usually grumpy Rain Varia actually appeared grimly amused by the panic he glimpsed in her flustered features, and the rest of the elite assassins watched with varying degrees of interest and/or curiosity. At last, he relented.

"Very well, it doesn't matter to me as long as you do what is needed of you. If we are all aware of our roles, this meeting is adjourned."

And with that, the dynamic force of nature that was Superbia Squalo blew out of the library with his usual ferocity that could rival that of a tropical storm, leaving those in his wake blinking in a stumped stupor.

Haru wasn't even aware that this was supposed to be a meeting.

"Damn Squalo," Levi griped grouchily, as he too, slowly made his way out of the library, the apathetic Fran simply falling into place beside him. "Why are we always the ones cleaning up after that brat Prince's messes?"

Lussuria moved slightly then, attracting her attention to him. Beside her, it was quite apparent that Bel was frowning something fierce, and Haru was pretty sure that he did not appreciate being ignored. They were the only ones left in the huge library by then.

"So! How are you, Bel-kun?" Lussuria asked kindly. "Lucky guy, you, to be pampered by our own pretty Haru-chan, eh?"

The young woman in question promptly sputtered and turned bright pink, but it was not so much with the boy. He lifted his hand, pointed it at her, and proceeded to ask the question that everyone seemed downright keen to hide from him.

"What is her relation to me?" the young Prince demanded abruptly, determined to know. Haru opened her mouth to head him off but the boy quickly snapped at her. "I'm not asking you. Keep quiet. And _you_. Do not even think of lying to me."

Bel was clearly glaring challengingly at Lussuria if anyone could see his eyes from behind his fringe, and the pure arrogance coming from the little boy was enough to astound Haru. She paused briefly in shock, having never heard this sort of aggression from someone so young before.

Then, doe brown eyes narrowed.

"Don't you take that tone with me, young man," she whispered harshly, quite offended. Why, if she had ever talked back to her father that way when she was a child, he would have made her sit in a corner of her room for the whole day. "And you are not allowed to be rude to Lussuria either."

There was nothing amusing or indulgent in her voice this time around, and it was apparent that Haru was quite irritated. Lover or not, Belphegor was still a young boy at this moment and she would be damned if she sat by and watched as he disrespected his seniors. Haru liked to think that her papa had taught her better than that, and it offended her sensibilities that this spoilt little six year old was running wild with no manners to speak of whatsoever just because nobody had dared to correct him.

Lussuria, who had been about to say something, quickly shut his mouth to observe this interesting turn of events. He had no idea that sweet Haru-chan was capable of being this fierce, especially towards a cute, innocent-looking little golden-haired boy like Bel—physically speaking, that was.

The young Prince sneered, automatically falling back on his instinctive defenses, stung and somewhat surprised by the woman's angered tone. He had never been spoken to that way before and he was definitely not appreciating it one bit. His hackles rose and he welcomed the aggression that roiled within, it was familiar territory.

"You can't do anything to me," the boy hissed, matching her glare for glare. "You are just a peasant, and a commoner. You are nobody to me."

The child's venomous remarks fell on her like physical blows. Haru sat, momentarily stunned. She had not expected to be so affected by his vicious words. Her heart beat weakly in her chest as she fought to regain some semblance of composure, and even then, the hurt did not go away quickly. For a brief moment, her eyes glimmered with upset and she looked like she wanted to cry, but then she abruptly stiffened her spine and gave the bristling young Prince a good, fierce scowl.

"I don't care what you think or who you are," Haru growled. "But you need to learn manners. Didn't your parents teach you anything?"

Lussuria froze, his eyes darting straight to Belphegor. Oh no.

The boy had stilled completely, his fringe shadowing his eyes, his earlier angry aura rapidly darkening into something worse, far worse. Lussuria reckoned that he could almost taste the icy rage that the young boy was projecting, the malicious fury that hid behind those blank, doll-like features.

Haru did not understand the sudden change, but Lussuria did.

"Ah, Bel-kun. Haru-chan doesn't know that-" the Sun Varia started, hoping to prevent any crippling conflict before it could begin. This child version of his fellow assassin was a lot more vulnerable than the teenaged Bel whom he had first met, and subsequently watched grow up to become a young man. Lussuria had no idea how the boy Prince would react, but the latter cut him off before anything more could be said.

"My parents were assassinated when I was one and a half years old," the six year old spat out coldly. "They taught me nothing because they were too busy being _dead_."

Haru paled. There was a sharp intake of air as she processed the words that Bel had said, her hands twitching reflexively before she clenched them, her features guilt stricken as she realized what she had just done.

But he was not finished yet.

"My parents were killed by our own family. Relatives," the boy continued to iterate slowly, with eerie precision. Haru felt her eyes begin to water again, this time for him. Almost mechanically, he met her gaze.

"I will kill them all one day," he promised with a dark calmness. A vow. "I will kill each and every one of them. And Rasiel as well."

His golden head tilted slightly as he continued to study her highly upset features. Almost like a curious cat, only more detached. Then, he smiled. Blankly. Teeth bared.

"_Perhaps I will kill you too_."

This time around, Haru was unfazed by his words, even though the boy had sounded perfectly serious. She didn't think; she just reacted.

Sitting across from them, Lussuria's eyes nearly fell out of his head when Haru's hand whipped out and darted towards Bel's right ear, immediately gaining purchase on her target. Without pause, her fingers twisted sharply, and the six year old boy barely had time to grunt in surprise and pain before he was promptly dragged by the ear towards his new caretaker.

Lussuria was pretty sure that there was something wrong with the picture that he was seeing. Normal people do not react to threats on their lives by pulling on the ears of the ones who had threatened to kill them, but then again, Haru-chan was pretty strange sometimes.

"You are not allowed to kill me!" Haru whispered sharply at the strangely stiff form of the boy as she hauled him bodily to her, her arm coming up to curl around the back of his neck even as she pushed his face into her small bosom, effectively obscuring his vision. Her voice was strained and choked, but Lussuria was the only one to witness the display of pure sadness on her face as she started to cry for _him_.

"If you say things like that again, I will turn you over my knee and give you a good spanking, little Prince or not!"

Her face was reddening quickly from her volatile emotions, her voice thick as she struggled to speak clearly though her tears, and through it all, Bel fought like a possessed demon to get away from her. The child pulled no punches this time around. He exploded into action the moment he got over his shock, he clawed, he scratched, he tried to heave himself out of her embrace. But Haru held on to him no matter how hard he tried to get away from her, and frustrated, Bel swung his head around and bit her. Hard.

The Sun Varia started with concern when he saw the boy Prince latch onto her wrist and sink his teeth unforgivingly into her soft flesh, locking his jaw tight over her forearm and drawing blood, mistakenly believing that she would let go of him in pain, but it was as if his bite didn't even register to Haru. She didn't even flinch, but the tears that fell from her eyes and rolled down her face did not abate. She was deeply distressed and the embrace she had put Bel in only tightened further as he attacked her like a hurt, desperate animal and _she wasn't letting go_.

Her tears dripped hot and wet onto the boy's face then, again and again and again, snapping him out of his silent rage. He froze against her, his jerky, violent movement ceasing as abruptly as it had began, and suddenly, he was aware of her heartbeat pounding against his ear, the shuddering of her slender frame as she wheezed above him, _the taste of her blood on his tongue_.

She was no longer pulling on his ear, but instead, her free hand was running haphazardly though his hair, the crown that proclaimed him Prince had long since been knocked off his head in the struggle, her fingers trembling as they rubbed his scalp with utmost tenderness—

Suddenly, the copperish taste of her blood felt like the most disgusting, _wrong, sacrilegious_, thing in his mouth. Aghast, he let go immediately, resisting the urge spit out the taste. The wound that he had unthinkingly inflicted on her came into sight the moment he drew back his head slightly, and he stared at the large raw, reddened injury with something akin to sick horror on his face. Her smooth skin was marred by his jagged teeth marks, the necrotic wound welling with blood that was smeared messily across her pale, creamy wrist.

He didn't want to look at the results of his handiwork any longer. He could feel the slimy wetness against his mouth and chin, his lips pinkish red, her blood and his saliva—

She was never going to forgive him for this; he thought suddenly with a panicky, desperate, sinking sensation in his heart. The damage that he had done to her had looked bad enough to his six year old eyes that he had decided that this woman who was not afraid of him and who was always smiling at him would no longer want to be near him after this, let alone smile at him ever again. Anytime now, she would fling him aside and have nothing to do with him, and he waited for her to realize that he was no longer attacking her and for her to escape him—

But she wasn't letting him go.

If anything, she still held him tight and was crying all over him. She was still upset but it was him she was trying to comfort with her soothing touches and proximity. He could feel his fury and rage receding into nothingness, leaving behind only guilt and exhaustion. Why was she always being so nice to him? The six year old had been pondering that question since yesterday and still hadn't gotten any closer to an answer. Bel decided that he didn't want to think so much about it anymore. Slowly, the boy Prince slumped into her embrace and turned his face into her cardigan, almost as if giving up.

_I surrender. You win_.

It was as if his body language was saying exactly that to the noisy, sniffling woman who was currently still fussing somewhere above his head, and tentatively, his small hands—child's hands—came to the hem of her top, gripping the fabric tightly. And once he held on, the boy decided that he really didn't want to let go. He was warm and cosseted and safe here, he realized belatedly, and suddenly the golden-haired boy knew that he really didn't want to go anywhere away from her.

Lussuria failed to see Bel's reaction, but that was expected since the boy was pressed so close to Haru that it was impossible to see what he was doing. But that was alright. The Sun Unit Commander was too busy being impressed by how Haru had dealt with this problem (read: demon) child at his worst and had still managed to escape mostly unscathed. It was ultimate proof that either Haru was really good with children, or that she was really meant to be with Bel.

Lussuria's inner romantic, more outer than inner actually, promptly decided that this must be what true love looked like. He bit her, she cried all over him, he was clearly underage and she was robbing the cradle and there was blood involved but happily ever after was within grasp, provided that grownup Bel didn't screw everything up when he returned, of course.

"My god, this is embarrassing," Haru sniffled hoarsely then, feeling her tears finally abate before she reluctantly loosened her hold on Bel, who was by now quiet and perfectly still in her arms. She half expected him to jet off the moment he sensed freedom but that was not the case. If anything, the young boy remained where he was, his face buried in her top, his child's body relaxed against hers as he all but nuzzled her needily like a little lost puppy.

Haru blinked, surprised by the boy's sudden change in mood.

Lussuria beamed. This was just too adorable for words.

"W- well," Haru started lamely, a bit flustered by the child's sudden act of affection. Her nose was bright red from her irrational bout of crying and her cheeks were sticky with drying tears and she was certain that she was looking not so great at the moment but she could hardly care less. Her attention was on Bel, and she was still stumped by his behavior now. It was as if someone had just turned off a switch in Bel and he was all passive and docile and sweet-tempered again. The brunette looked down at the boy who still had her cardigan in a death grip and was pointedly refusing to look at anyone. Okay, maybe sweet-tempered was a wrong word to describe him. Still, a part of her melted a bit at the way he was sticking himself to her, and somewhere in her heart, the tiny spot reserved for the one named Belphegor became just a bit bigger.

"And you are also not allowed to be rude anymore, do you hear me?" Haru rambled on, a hand still running soothingly, absently, through his baby fine golden hair. "I'm going to teach you manners even if it kills me," she declared. Young Bel replied with a soft, irritable grunt, but otherwise said nothing else. "You are going to be the charming, polite young Prince that you should have been and I'm going to remember every minute of it so that I can have some nice memories as keepsakes when your insufferable adult self returns."

Haru wasn't sure if he understood what she was implying about his future self, but Lussuria sure did, judging by that utterly amused look on his face.

"But Haru-chan, I think you like it when Bel's being a bas-" When Haru shot him a warning look, the unrepentant Sun Varia grinned and amended his statement. "I mean, when Bel's being his usual self. You are probably the only one who can take him as he is. But enough of that. I think you need to get your arm looked at."

Turning serious, the motherly martial arts expert looked to the young boy next. Lussuria never thought he would see the day where Bel would be clinging to Haru for dear life, but there it was, and even though this Bel was only a little boy, it was still amusing as hell to witness. He really should take a photo of these two sometime soon. It would serve as good blackmail material should he need to dish some dirt on the usually arrogant Bel.

But for the moment, there was this younger version of the Prince to contend with, and Lussuria needed to get him off Haru so that she could receive medical attention. Unfortunately, the boy did not seem willing to let go of her, not at the moment, at least.

"Bel-kun, you need to let Haru-chan go clean up."

It was as if Bel had suddenly gone selectively deaf, and he didn't even attempt to acknowledge Lussuria's request. Rather than become exasperated with the stubborn child, the Sun Varia gamely tried again.

"You know, if you let go of Haru-chan, I will answer that question of yours," the colorful-haired martial arts expert cajoled. This time, he garnered a reaction. Or rather, he garnered a reaction from _both_ Bel and Haru.

The young boy turned his head slightly and finally revealed a portion of his face to the light. He watched Lussuria with what was now a cool, measured stare whereas the young woman whom he was attached to was anything but as composed as he was.

"Lussuria!" Haru warned in a flustered tone, but before she could say more, Lussuria gave her a sunny grin and a nonchalant wave to sooth away the alarmed expression that had crept onto her face.

"Ah, don't worry, Haru-chan," the flamboyant man assured her cheekily. "I won't sully little Bel-kun's innocent ears with too much juicy details!"

Haru was struggling not to turn red with embarrassment from Lussuria's teasing, though Bel continued to watch the Sun Unit Commander with silent interest. With a jaunty smile, Lussuria looked to the boy once more.

"So, what do you say, Bel? You want to know as much as you can about Haru-chan, right?"

For a brief moment or so, it did look at if the boy was considering Lussuria's offer. The older man was rather certain that Bel would take it too; the child had been most curious about Haru-chan and had appeared quite desperate to know anything about the pretty young woman who had snagged his attention like no other had in the past. But then, to his surprise, the child Prince turned away and proceeded to completely ignore Lussuria.

Now, that was something unexpected.

"Hey, Bel-kun? Didn't you ask to know how Haru-chan's related to you? You don't want to know anymore?" Lussuria enticed once more.

The boy did not reply for a minute or so, but by then, even Haru was interested in hearing his answer. He was still holding on tightly to her, though he refused to meet her questioning gaze.

"I already know who she is," the boy mumbled reluctantly, much to the surprise of his audience.

Lussuria arched a brow, now intrigued. Just less than half an hour ago, Bel was all but demanding for answers, answers that he now claimed to know when no one had said anything pertaining to the information that he had craved.

"You do? So what is Haru-chan to you, Bel-kun?"

The boy didn't hesitate to answer this time around, and his answer was so surprising that Haru quickly froze with surprise. Bel had muttered his reply into her shirt, and Haru decided that she must have heard wrongly. Lussuria's mad grin told another different story, though.

It was obvious that Bel was still Bel, twenty years' age gap aside, and he knew exactly what he wanted.

"Can you repeat what you just said, Bel-kun? I'm afraid I didn't you hear you correctly."

The young Prince lifted his head and gave the colorful-haired martial artist a fierce, irritated glare.

"Mine," the boy hissed with disgruntled possessiveness, his fingers tightening into her cardigan.

"She is mine."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I think that this chapter is pretty self explanatory. It holds an important development for Haru and Belphegor's relationship as you will see in subsequent chapters, but for now, just bask in the Haru/mini!Bel goodness!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I'm quite aware that canon-verse Belphegor has admitted to killing his entire family, so I added my own spin to this tale. In this fic, Belphegor's parents were assassinated by their relatives when he was very young, and so he vowed to destroy the entire royal family to avenge his parents. He would kill everyone who shared his blood when he became older and more capable, so I hope that fits his back story.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Mini!Rasiel is still alive twenty years in the past. Mini!Bel is six years old as of now and with accordance to the timeline, he would only kill his older brother when they are both eight, after which Belphegor would decide to join the Varia.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	22. Chapter 22

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5024

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/07/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

* * *

That evening, Francesca brought Bel to Haru's bedroom again. This time around, the Prince's housekeeper didn't wait till the early morning to do so. She had learned her lesson well last night and her six year old charge was promptly delivered to Lady Haru's suite once he was properly prepared for bedtime. Bel was dressed in a miniature set of black satin pajamas, and after Francesca retreated from the room, the boy climbed up the bed and crawled over to Haru's side.

She had been peacefully reading a mystery novel prior to Bel's entrance, and she put down the book in favor of watching the young boy as he plopped down beside her, shuffling close until his shoulder was pressed against her arm and he was looking back at her. She smiled cheerfully at him.

"Well, your hair's still a bit wet, so let's give it some time to dry before we go to sleep. What do you want to do till then?"

Now more relaxed around her, the young Prince shrugged; he could hardly care less. His gaze settled on the snowy white bandages that were wrapped around her slender wrist then, a blatant reminder that he had been the one to injure her. Haru noticed what he was looking at almost immediately, and she touched her bandaged wrist with her fingers, breaking his concentrated stare on the area where his teeth marks resided under all that white gauze.

"Don't worry about it. It's not as bad as it looks," Haru assured the young boy gently. "Still, I don't think you should go around biting people from now on. Who knows whether their hands are dirty or not, you know?" she accompanied the quip with a small grin as well as her usual engaging manner, making it quite clear to the young boy that she had already forgiven him for his unthinking act of rage.

The boy said nothing for awhile, merely continued to watch her quietly from behind his veil of long blonde hair.

"I won't hurt you again," he promised in a completely somber tone, and he sounded so serious that Haru felt her eyes soften with increasing affection for this precocious little boy. It was getting harder and harder for her to deny that he was slowly but surely wriggling himself into a deeper spot in her heart, this boy Prince who was so different from his grownup self, but at the same time, so alike.

Haru smiled at him again, and patted him on the head. He stiffened immediately at the contact, and started to frown but grudgingly allowed himself to be manhandled by her. Luckily for him, she decided not to push her luck too far and dropped her hand from the crown of his head after a few affectionate tousles.

"Poor thing; you have to put up with me from now on," she remarked mirthfully. "Well, at least until you get to return to your time-"

The boy turned his head sharply to look at her. "You must go back with me."

Haru blinked with surprise at the quiet vehemence in his voice. It wasn't difficult to see that he had somehow formed an attachment to her in the short couple of days that they were acquainted with each other, and this time around, Haru could not stop herself from looping an arm around the young boy and gathering him nearer to her. He had gone all rigid again against her, and quickly became even more so when she planted a spontaneous kiss on his cheek.

Haru eyed Bel warmly.

"Thank you," she told him sincerely, trusting him to know exactly what she was thanking him for. "But I cannot go with you, little Prince."

The boy's lips immediately turned down in a scowl, never mind that he could still feel the soft imprint of her lips on his tingling skin, and that the familiar way she addressed him made something in his chest bubble over with a foreign feeling of warmth.

"Why not?" he demanded.

Haru shook her head slightly, her arm still slung around his shoulder.

"Because I don't belong there. It's not my time and if I stay with you, bad things will happen." Haru didn't elaborate, but the truth in her eyes told the young boy that she was not lying. "Besides, if I go back with you, it will not be fair to the me in the past, you know?"

That caught the child's interest.

"You are there, too?" he sounded surprised.

Haru nodded. "Of course. You are six, aren't you? So that means I should be around four years old then."

The boy frowned again. He had not thought of that before.

"You are only a baby," he pointed out flatly, disappointed. Haru mock scowled at the boy.

"I will have you know that I was a very smart baby," she told him. "Almost like you, in fact! Just give me a few years to grow up and voila! Beautiful, charming Haru-chan!" she quipped quite cheerfully, giving him a playful wink while she was at it.

The child Prince merely stared at her, and Haru started to look slightly chagrinned.

"I cannot protect you," Bel spoke blankly at last, and Haru stared at him in surprise.

"Of course you cannot protect me, silly. You are still too young-"

"I must kill Rasiel first."

And there he went again, onto his favorite subject. Haru could not say that she approved of the boy's single minded intent to cause bloodshed to select individuals, though she was certainly curious to know why he was so determined to do in this 'Rasiel.' Normal six year olds do not make it their life's goal to kill specific people, but then again, there was really nothing remotely normal about Belphegor.

"Rasiel is your brother, isn't he?" Haru asked with quiet curiosity. This was no joking matter, and the earlier amusement in her eyes faded away to reveal an attentiveness that was focused completely on what Bel had to say.

"Rasiel is my older twin brother," the young Prince confirmed a bit rigidly, almost as if just the mere mention of his sibling was causing him stress. "He is the heir apparent and I need to kill him in order to succeed him as King."

There was no emotion, no regret or hesitation whatsoever when the six year old declared his reason for wanting his own kin killed in cold blood. The fact that such an angelic looking child was seriously contemplating to bring mortal harm to his own flesh and blood would have greatly disconcerted anyone who did not know him well. But to Haru, who was already intimately acquainted with the dangerous, slightly crazed man whom he would one day grow up to become, the young boy's somewhat unstable mentality did not frighten her as it clearly did others. His intentions were admittedly unsettling, but Haru was so used to being psyched out by his adult self that she had already accepted that this was just part of what he was. Belphegor was never going to be a completely sane individual; this wasn't just a simple matter of nature versus nurture, and the faster she learned to accept that, the better it would be for everyone involved.

What made no sense whatsoever to Haru, though, was his motive for wanting his own brother dead.

For one, Haru was more or less aware that the grownup version of her lover had no interest whatsoever in being King. The smirking golden-haired assassin rather preferred his current occupation of causing bloodshed and mayhem than that of the royal responsibilities of a reigning monarch, which was why his legitimate title was still that of Crown Prince, and not King. Never mind that his older brother had already been declared dead after the war with the Millefiore Famiglia had been concluded; Belphegor hadn't even bothered to return to his home country to attend his own ascension ceremony.

Haru couldn't imagine why his younger self was so determined to ascend the throne—enough to commit fratricide—when his future self had certainly not cared whether he was made the ruler of his kingdom or not.

"So you want to become King?" she asked the child.

The boy hesitated slightly at her question, and to her surprise, he shook his head at last.

"No, not really," he answered truthfully, quietly. Nobody had asked whether he wanted this duty that he was destined for, groomed from birth for. She had been the first, and he didn't know what to think of it yet.

He was starting to relax a bit now that he had sensed no hint of disgust or fear from Haru, not even after he had announced his plan to kill his own sibling. Most of his subjects had the annoying tendency to cringe away from him in sheer terror once they fully understood his psychotic personality, and it was downright strange—and oddly gratifying—that this woman hadn't even batted an eye. He didn't quite understand her at all; she was nothing like him, she shared none of the ugly darkness, the _mad_ _sickness_ that lurked dangerously beneath the perfect surface of his royal heritage. In fact, her character was something that he had never quite experienced before, and the young boy didn't think he would ever understand why this pretty, gentle female would be willing to accept him for him.

"Then why do you wish to ascend the throne?" Haru questioned, incomprehension evident in her tone.

"Because there can only be one heir. If I do not kill Rasiel, then he will kill me," the boy replied simply, almost as if this was the norm for his family, that this was tradition. Only the strongest shall survive and head the monarchy; the weak shall perish by the wayside. "I want to live, so my brother must die," the six year old continued with no remorse. This was what he had been raised to believe in, the reason why the twin brothers had been separately reared from birth, why they would grow up regarding each other with utter hatred and contempt.

His explanation quickly cleared up a lot of questions. Haru stared at him, not sure how to react to his calm, all too casual admission. The fact that he was behaving as if everything was going on as per normal in his life made a part of her heart ache for him, but Haru halted her thoughts before she could start to feel pity for the young boy. After all, Bel would eventually grow up to be immensely proficient at his trade, and Haru knew that he would enjoy every moment of it.

A small, disgruntled expression slipped across her face at the thought of her overly gleeful, sadistic lover. She did not exactly approve of his almost giddy joy in taking lives, even though she understood that it was all part and parcel of his job description. And now that she was learning how important it was to ensure that his character and mentality did not change so that he would still be alive when he returned, Haru reluctantly accepted that Bel was still going to be Bel, no matter the outcome of this bizarre time travelling accident.

Between Rasiel and him, there was really no contest as to whom she would choose to live. Better an evil she knew than an evil she didn't, and besides, Belphegor was part of the Vongola Famiglia, _the good guys_, no matter how the Varia liked to insinuate that they were a separate faction from the Decimo and his Guardians. Not to mention, even though he wasn't exactly all there at times, he really couldn't be considered evil, not most of the time, at least. He was more of a sadistic, immoral bastard than an evil one, though sometimes he flirted dangerously with that line.

"I will find you after that," the boy promised in a determined voice, and surprised, Haru looked at him.

"Me?" she echoed, not sure that she had heard correctly. "Why?"

The boy cocked his head slightly. "You belong to me," Bel claimed with the absolute surety of a six year old. "It's only right that you are with me."

Once again, she was thrown for a loop. He spoke as if he didn't understand why she was asking a question to which the answer was so obvious, and Haru was wondering how she was supposed to react to his comment in order not to create any further misunderstanding. Had it been his adult self saying such arrogant things to her, Haru would have had no problems throwing things at that fat head of his. But this child version of him was still innocent, despite his intention to murder his own twin in cold blood, and Haru was sure that he bore no ulterior motives whatsoever. He just wanted her with him for nothing more than the comfort of her company, and that made her heart soften even more towards this boy Prince.

"Okay, I will wait for you to find me," she told him firmly, looking at the young Prince in a way that told him she fully believed he would. "But you must promise me that you will grow stronger. You are not allowed to give up, and no matter what, you cannot lose to Rasiel."

The golden-haired Prince looked to Haru for awhile, and then he nodded solemnly.

"I promise," the boy vowed. "And you will be my reward."

Haru wasn't sure what she thought of Belphegor's strange comment. She stared strangely at the child.

"I cannot be your reward," she told him patiently at last. "It's not right to treat people like objects, Bel."

Bel frowned slightly. "I wasn't treating you like an object," he replied. "You are more than that."

Haru smiled at him, or rather, she beamed at his answer.

"I knew you'd treat me as a friend!" She was about to envelop the small boy in a happy, spontaneous hug when he corrected her.

"Not friend," he muttered. "You don't have to keep it from me anymore. I know who you are now."

Haru paused, and arched an eyebrow at him. What did he mean? "You do?"

He nodded, and then proceeded to pull the rug from right under her with his next statement.

Everything made sense now. Why she was unafraid of him. Why she cared so much about him. How she could so easily calm his senses and make him feel docile and contented. Why she seemed more and more important to him the longer he lingered around her. Why she did not hesitate to shower him with physical acts of affection. Why her bedroom was situated right beside his.

"You are my bride. My consort."

* * *

Haru couldn't quite look any of the Varia members in the eye the next morning during breakfast, out of worry that they'd enquire why she was looking so embarrassed. Belphegor had stuck to her like glue, behaving as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and that meant the young boy was also present at the table right beside her. Haru didn't really know what to say to the young Prince as well, especially not since he had dropped that bombshell on her last night.

He had really believed that she was married to his adult self, and had then proceeded to recite the reasons why he thought that way, the physical and unspoken clues that led him to his conclusion. Haru had no idea that the young royal had such an acute sense of observation, and quickly found that she could hardly refute his sound reasoning, at least not without revealing the truth of her relationship with Belphegor in the process.

Haru especially hated how she didn't have the heart—or the courage—to tell the child Prince the truth. Despite his genius, he was only so young still, and Haru didn't think it was appropriate to discuss the nature of her connection to his adult self with him, not to mention what he would think of her after that. And so she had hastily changed the subject, neither confirming nor denying his assumptions, hoping rather futilely that he would put the matter behind him and it would all be forgotten come the next day.

When the next morning arrived though, Mortigor had been waiting stoically outside her suite, ready to escort the young Prince to his small team of caretakers and servants to prepare him to attend breakfast. Despite having just woken up, the boy had immediately demanded to know why the royal butler had addressed his Princess Consort as 'Lady Haru,' as opposed to her rightful title, 'Her Royal Highness.'

Haru had been mortified, and could hardly look Mortigor in the eye, quite certain that Bel's loyal servant must be wondering just what sort of ideas she had been implanting in the head of their innocent young Prince.

However, if Mortigor had any such thoughts in his mind, he was keeping them to himself. The calm, stolid butler had not appeared fazed by his charge's question at all, and had merely explained to the young royal that he was not wedded to the lady _yet_, leaving the boy to draw his own conclusions.

Haru didn't know whether to be thankful to the older man for his ambiguous reply or be irritated by his terribly misleading answer. She settled for being uncomfortably relieved, for Bel seemed to accept the reasoning and was promptly hustled off to his servants.

Thankfully enough for her, none of the Varia executives had commented on her unusually awkward demeanor at the breakfast table, and as usual, eventually piled out of the dining hall to fulfill their respective duties once the morning meal was concluded and the appropriate greetings/information exchanged.

And she was alone with the six year old Prince again.

It was almost ridiculous how guilty she felt hiding the truth from the child, especially when it was apparent that he was beginning to trust her a lot more than he should. It really wasn't right that she was lying to Bel, even though it was only through omission, and she didn't want him to think that it was okay to lie as well.

But…

To be perfectly honest, she had thought that she was already past the stage of feeling shame and embarrassment when it came to the topic of her unusual relationship with Bel, but it was turning out that she wasn't as indifferent or open minded about it as she had wanted. It was true that she hadn't exactly had a strict, traditional upbringing; she had been raised in a single parent household and even though her Father was slightly conservative as most Asians tended to be, he wasn't exactly stringent and over exacting in the demands of his only child either, most of the time trusting her enough to make her own decisions wisely.

Still, that did not mean Haru was modern-minded enough to admit to anyone—or even accept to herself—that she was in a purely sexual relationship with a man whom she would never have shown any interest in at any other circumstances, had he not caught her first and ensnared her in his carefully spun web of violent, sadistic charm and insatiable, animal lust.

Despite her loud, at times boisterous behavior, Haru liked to think of herself as a good girl at heart, daydreaming, patiently waiting for her Prince Charming to come riding by on his white steed and sweep her off her feet. He would be kind and gallant and chivalrous—_just like Tsuna_, her consciousness interjected with a love struck sigh—and head over heels in love with her just as much as she adored him with every breath she had, and they would ride off into the sunset and create their own perfect happily ever after.

…But perhaps the term 'Prince Charming' was not the right adjective to be used in this instance. Although she had indeed somehow gotten herself involved with a real life Prince, she had great doubts over his 'charming' factor, and adult Belphegor had certainly not been anywhere near chivalrous or gallant, and Haru was quite sure that kindness was definitely a foreign concept for the golden-haired royal. Not to mention, Haru was one hundred percent certain that he was definitely _not_ head over heels in love with her, and in return, she could safely say that she wasn't exactly looking at him with star struck, adoring eyes either.

In other words, the golden-haired royal assassin of the Varia was about the last man on earth whom she would have been remotely interested in. In fact, she wasn't even sure why they still stuck together; sure, he was becoming more or less tolerable to her as time passed and she seemed to have mellowed him out a bit since the time they became involved with each other…but all that meant nothing, or did it?

Haru really didn't want to think too much of it, as usual, and it aggravated her that she was thinking so hard about this when the other half of the equation was no doubt off gallivanting some twenty years in the past—which promptly brought her rambling mind back to the original topic at hand.

Should she tell young Bel the truth, or should she preserve her own pride and dignity and let the young Prince assume whatever he wanted?

The latter option was so very tempting to Haru; after all, the young Prince would not be staying indefinitely in the future. Fran had as much as confirmed that it was only a matter of time before the effect of the Bovino Bazooka reversed itself and send the six year old back to the past where he belonged, and surely a little, tiny white lie wouldn't hurt, would it?

But Haru's conscience prickled at her relentlessly, especially when she glimpsed the way the little Prince paid such attention to her—exactly like he was now.

And she didn't have the heart to deceive him, damn her fatal weakness for little children.

"Little Prince, I have something to tell you," she looked at him squarely and determinedly. "What you thought last night wasn't true at all. I'm not your consort, or your bride, or your princess. I'm just…Haru." It took a brief moment for Haru to figure out how to word that last sentence properly, though when she looked at the young boy, he didn't appear surprised.

"I know," the child replied. "Mortigor told me just now. You were there too. We are not married yet, so you are still my betrothed."

It was downright disturbing how much the six year old knew so much about these things; he was definitely _a lot_ more informed than others his age, to put it mildly, but in hindsight, that shouldn't have been too surprising, since he was being tutored in what looked like a variety of subjects by his veritable army of caretakers.

Haru shook her head, determined to clear the air once and for all.

"No, Bel. I'm not your betrothed. In fact, I'm not your anything," she told him with outward calm even though her stomach felt somewhat queasy and she was getting increasingly upset herself. "In the future, I'm not going to be married to you."

The boy did not reply for a good while. Haru was beginning to wonder what he was thinking when he spoke at last.

"You…_rejected_ me?" the boy's voice was soft, still, and held the faintest undertones of complete disbelief. A scowl was also beginning to form on his youthful features, and it was apparent that he was drawing the wrong conclusions.

The young woman shook her head once more.

"No, I didn't." she told him truthfully. "We are just not together that way, little Prince."

It took the surprisingly astute child only bare seconds to understand what she was saying. His head tilted to the side carefully.

"We are not betrothed because it hasn't been arranged?"

Haru nodded hesitantly. "Yes, that's correct." And we are not likely to be betrothed ever, she thought to herself. Trying to imagine Belphegor proposing marriage to her brought a funny expression on her face, one that was part queasy and part incredulous.

The boy Prince mulled over her admission for a moment or so. Then he looked at her again.

"I'm not old enough for an engagement yet," he told her all too seriously. Haru could only stare at him, her eyes widening ever so slightly with muted surprise. And here she had been certain that he would finally let the matter rest, but it turned out that young Bel was every bit as tenacious when it came to something he wanted, which in this instance, happened to be looking for a perfectly legitimate way to keep Haru with him.

"You must wait for me." His tone was abrupt, fierce, almost commanding, and she had no doubt that he was looking at her with utter intensity, even from behind the veil of his long fringe. There was no mistaking his meaning. He was too young now, but he would grow up eventually and when his adult self returned, he would set things right, the way they should be.

Haru was absolutely certain that he would not remember a thing by the time he switched back, and so she agreed.

"Alright," she promised, and then, just as quickly, she changed the subject. "Come, we haven't gone out at all since you came here. Let's go to the courtyard for some fresh air; you haven't met my Sparrow Hawk, have you?"

* * *

It was mid spring in Italy, and the weather was gorgeous. The flowers were in full bloom and the forest was teeming with new life. Songbirds and beautiful butterflies sang and fluttered around the courtyard, and the skies were cloudless, a gorgeous clear blue like a robin's egg. The fresh air was just wonderful, and a beaming Haru led young Bel out of the castle.

She smiled cheerily at the boy Prince.

"Isn't the weather just wonderful?" Haru asked in a carefree manner. Her six year old companion gave her a look that suggested he thought her not quite right in the head, but she only dragged him along with her until they came to a large tree at the furthest edge of the spacious yard. She tilted her head up then, way up amongst the branches, searching for the familiar form of her box animal.

Haru's eyes quickly lighted upon the golden brown plumage of her Sparrow Hawk half hidden behind some thick foliage, bright golden eyes glaring down at her suspiciously. The brunette bent down to Bel's level and quietly pointed out the small accipiter.

"There! That's Bel."

The young Prince looked briefly up at the Sun Flame Sparrow Hawk before he turned back to Haru.

"…Bel?" the boy echoed curiously.

Haru smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I named him Bel," she confirmed. "Your adult self gave him to me, you know."

The young royal glanced at the grumpy-looking hawk roosting high above the branches before looking back at Haru once more.

"Why is he not coming down to you?"

Haru looked a bit chagrinned at that question. Trust Belphegor to be perceptive enough to quickly ask why her box animal was hardly tamed.

"Well, I'm still trying to earn Bel's trust. He doesn't trust easily, you see," she explained.

Belphegor looked mildly surprised by her answer. "It's like me," he pointed out at last, and Haru blinked at him.

"Maybe just a little," she amended with a small smile. "I think he's been hurt before, that's why I must be patient now, and show him that I won't hurt him. Do you understand, little Prince?"

Belphegor continued to look at her steadily before his gaze dropped to the lacerations and the mild scratch marks that decorated her fingers and part of her forearms. The boy hadn't noticed the cuts and abrasions that seemed to be constantly on her hands and lower arms until after he had done his own share of the damage on her wrist, and the young Prince started to wonder why she always had pieces of band aids and plasters stuck around her fingers, not to mention those thin lines of partially scabbed wounds on the undersides of her forearms.

Now he knew.

The young royal said nothing, but he moved closer to the pretty woman who was his temporary guardian, and without hesitation, slipped his hand in hers. She looked at him, surprised, but the child Prince merely stared back at her with the stoicism of an extremely serious six year old, and at last, Haru shook her head, smiling.

She crouched down before the boy, putting herself on the same level as him.

"Thank you," she told him earnestly, meaning every word of it, for she was aware that the diminished form of her lover had literally placed his trust in her hand. For someone so young, Belphegor certainly saw so much more than he let on, and Haru was glad that she had been allowed to have this insight to him.

The boy Prince tilted his head slightly, and then he raised his hand and reached out towards her, touching child-like fingers against her cheek. Haru's eyes widened slightly; she was startled by Bel's curious action, and the tips of his fingers felt cold on her skin. The golden-haired six-year old appeared a bit confused, disconcerted, by his own action, but before he could remove himself, Haru quickly grabbed his hand and covered it with hers.

"Your hand is freezing!" she fussed as she rubbed her warm palms against his. "Little Prince, you need to tell me if you are cold! I guess we can always come back to see Bel later. Come on; let's go get some hot chocolate and warm you back up."

Haru straightened and was about to lead the young boy back into the castle when, all of a sudden, all hell broke loose.

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Please accept my apologies for the delay! I have been quite busy last week and hadn't been able to put up this chapter, but I hope you will enjoy it all the same!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Six year old Belphegor is a child genius. He is extremely observant and easily notices things most people neglect to pay attention to. When something catches his attention, in this case, the need to know the true nature of Haru's relationship with him, he makes a conscious effort to gather all available information around him to construct educated guesses that are more often than not eerily accurate.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

The reason why Belphegor had to kill Rasiel—that is, to succeed the throne, and by default, be allowed to live—was entirely made up by me. I'm not really sure why the Royal twins hated each other enough to want to kill one another in canon-verse, but in this fic, it would be because they were raised from birth to strive against each other, so that only the more powerful brother could survive and become King, and therefore pass on the stronger bloodline to the next generation of the monarchy.

It sounds terribly cruel, but this practice is not particularly unusual in the animal kingdom, survival of the fittest and all.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	23. Chapter 23

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6174

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 24/07/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

* * *

Out of nowhere, the Sparrow Hawk that Haru had been taking care of for the past month suddenly went berserk. Screaming and shrieking, the Sparviero del Sole launched itself off its perch in a flare of bright golden flames and hurtled down towards Haru and Bel. Haru's eyes widened when she saw the enraged hawk bearing down upon them in a steep dive, needle-sharp claws fully extended, dangerous hooked beak opened in a challenging screech. Worried, the brunette jerked sideways and brought her young charge with her, barely dodging as her bird narrowly hurtled past them in a blinding flash of Sun flames.

Haru barely had time to figure out what was going on when the small accipiter swung around sharply and targeted them again. Gaping in surprise, she stumbled backwards, her hand holding tightly to Belphegor's as she pulled him behind her. Her box animal tried to attack Haru straight on this time, aiming for her face, but once again, she managed to duck in time to avoid the painful collision. She overcompensated and lost her balance completely this time around, but before she fell, her eyes caught the unmistakable glint of metal at a distance.

Haru was not a fighter for the Vongola, but she had seen enough skirmishes as part of the Mafia Famiglia to recognize the muzzle of a gun when she saw one, and immediately, instincts took over. The puzzling, unprovoked attack of her hawk was immediately put aside, and the nimble young woman managed to turn herself mid fall, her arms reaching out for the young blonde Prince. She drew him quickly to her and pulled him down to the ground beside her, lunging protectively over the boy and tucking his head under her arms even as she heard the deafening discharge of several weapons. The child Prince, safely ensconced under her, flinched when a rain of bullets drove into the ground where they had been standing a mere second ago, spraying dirt and debris all over the place.

Haru screamed for help. "Guards! Guards! We are under attack! Somebody help!"

Frantic, she tightened her hold on Belphegor and hoisted him with her, scrambling backwards as she quickly dived behind a stone bench, hoping that the feeble structure would provide them with some semblance of protection. The sound of gunshots roared around them, and Haru winced when she felt a white hot, burning sensation flare in her upper arm. A sharp intake of breath was her only reaction to the pain, but Haru shook it off and quickly curled her body around Belphegor instead.

The six year old protested but Haru hushed him, panicked eyes searching intently for the source of the attacks even as she acted as a human shield for the Prince.

"You are bleeding!" the young royal sounded urgent, upset, his small hands touching her arm.

Haru tore her eyes away from the thick cluster of forest where the gunshots seem to originate to glance at her wound. It was long but the penetration was shallow. She was only bleeding sluggishly, so Haru decided that she was unlikely to die from this injury. The vicious smatter of shots came at them again, this time chipping granite and stone from the bench that they were taking refuge behind, and a shard of the bench managed to cut into Haru's cheek, but she hardly felt the sting.

The brunette quickly covered Belphegor's head with her forearms. Some of her blood had accidentally gotten smeared into his hair, but at the moment, she was too preoccupied with trying to think up a way to escape their dangerous situation to worry about how she should really keep from bleeding all over Belphegor.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and a million things raced through her mind. Information filtered into her head, almost as if her mind now shared a direct connection with her eyes; a jumbled up confusion of facts, colors, and movements. Suggestions and plans of actions flashed through her mind with lightning speed and were rejected just as quickly—

"Haru!" the child Prince whispered her name harshly, for the very first time. The brunette shook her head to clear the disorientating thoughts, and then she turned to Belphegor.

"It will be alright," she assured him in a fierce, surprisingly level tone. "I swear I will not let you be hurt."

She sounded quite determined to see through her vow, and the golden-haired Prince opened his mouth, about to say something. He did not look pleased with his situation, but before he could put to words his discontentment, there was a huge explosion of smoke around them, and Haru's immediate reaction turned to terror. Her grip on Belphegor tightened, almost as if she thought that she would be able to protect him better if she did so.

"Hold your breath!" Haru commanded through the thick plumes of smoke. "Don't breathe in the fumes; they might be poisonous!"

And it was to this chaotic situation that Belphegor, the _adult_ Belphegor, returned to most abruptly.

The sounds of wildly fired gunshots and thick smoke quickly put his well-honed senses on alert. Curled protectively on top of him was a familiar weight, and when she all but ordered him not to breathe in the smoke that had occurred as a side effect of his unwitting time travel, the Storm Unit Commander knew immediately that he had returned to the future.

Haru was also aware that something had changed. In the split millisecond after she had insisted he not inhale the fumes, she realized that the small boy whom she would give her life to protect was no longer with her. The small, slender body of the young boy child had been replaced with the lanky, sleekly muscled form of his older self, and Haru could have cried with relief when she saw the tousled golden hair, the black Varia uniform that he wore.

"Bel!"

He didn't seemed quite as glad to see her though, and he was already scowling something fierce when he glimpsed her face.

Long, elegant fingers rubbed away the small streaks of blood from the cut on her cheek, coincidentally the same surface his younger self had touched earlier. The good looking assassin tsked irritably.

"I turn my back for just a few days, and already you have gotten into trouble."

His voice was not high and young and serious; it was deeper, a silky, smooth drawl, and tinted with devious amusement. Haru would have kissed him if the situation wasn't so dire. She scrambled off him hurriedly.

"Assassins," she managed to wheeze out. "I don't know how many. I think they were trying to kill you."

A veritable hail of bullets rained down around them almost as if in confirmation of Haru's suspicions, and by then, the Varia foot soldiers were pouring out into the courtyard, equipped with their own weapons to drive out the intruders. The normally peaceful and quiet area instantly became a battlefield, and volleys of gunfire were exchanged, with Haru and Belphegor stuck right in the middle of it all.

Not surprisingly, Bel was hardly pleased by their position, and after taking half a minute to track the placement of the shooters, he joined the skirmish.

"Stay here," the blonde royal commanded shortly before he slipped smoothly into the utter pandemonium around them, agilely avoiding the flying bullets and effortlessly homing in on the hostile assassins like a tiger shark scenting blood.

With the participation of the rather aggressive Varia executive, the fight was over in less than fifteen minutes. Not surprisingly, there were no survivors from the hostile camp, and Haru was shakily getting back to her feet as the foot soldiers went about cleaning and securing the now utterly destroyed courtyard. She was a bit banged up and bore some minor abrasions here and there. Her face was partially smeared with blood from the minor cut on her cheek, and her worst injury was the wound from a bullet graze on her upper left arm, bleeding a bit more profusely than she had initially thought.

Now that the danger had passed, Haru decided that it would be a pretty good decision for her to return to the castle to seek some medical aid before she did something embarrassing like pass out on the floor due to blood loss. The adrenaline was fading quickly from her system, and pain and discomfort were making themselves known to the dazed brunette.

First aid sounded really good right now. That, and sleep.

She was feebly making her way back to the castle, not disturbing the soldiers who appeared to be very busy, when she stumbled slightly and nearly tripped. Her arm, her injured arm, was abruptly grabbed from behind to keep her upright, but Haru could not quite prevent the soft screech of pain from escaping her suddenly dry throat. Unbidden tears filled her eyes at the burning agony, and almost immediately, the gaping, apologetic-looking soldier who had unthinkingly touched her was grabbed and roughly _thrown_ away from her. The man had her blood slicked on his hands, and Belphegor saw it. When he turned to her, he looked utterly furious.

"You were shot," Belphegor accused, but Haru lethargically shook her head.

"No, not shot," she protested, though the dramatic paleness of her face spoke volumes. "Just got grazed by the bullet."

He didn't really care to discuss the technicalities of whether the bullet went through her or not. She was bleeding enough that the entire long sleeve of her dark-colored sweater was drenched with her blood, and already, the golden-haired Prince was muttering vile epithets under his breath.

"It's not that bad," Haru murmured tiredly, and he looked sharply at her worn features.

"It looked bad enough to me twenty years ago," Belphegor snapped, and she stared at him in surprise.

"You…remembered? The time travel incident?"

The man looked at her as if she was stupid. "Considering that I have just returned from the past, yes, it stands to reason that I'm starting to remember."

But Belphegor had no intention to discuss the matter right now. The taller male grabbed hold of Haru's uninjured wrist and started to tow her back towards the castle.

Haru stumbled after him.

"Bel, what are you-"

"Doctor. Now."

The poor woman nearly tripped again trying to keep up with her lover's long legged strides, and impatient, the blonde rolled his eyes, came to a stop, turned to her, and picked her up. The Prince ignored Haru's quiet protests and resumed his quick gait into the castle, and it wasn't long before he reached the medical wing, where a fully equipped surgical team was constantly on standby.

"She got shot," Bel announced to the medical crew the moment he barged unceremoniously into the ward, putting Haru down on one of the beds even as a nurse and a doctor went up to her to check on her condition. "Treat her injuries and keep her here. I will come back for her later."

"Y-yes, Prince Belphegor," the intimidated staff stammered.

Then, the Prince blew out of the place with the usual arrogance that he was infamous for, and Haru scowled after his retreating back.

"I don't even know why I was actually happy to see him. I must be out of my mind," she muttered under her breath, irritated by his domineering demeanor. She caught the eye of an anxious looking nurse then, and quickly realized with chagrin that her disgruntled monologue had just been heard by the small group of hovering medical staff. Haru smiled weakly.

"Uh, do I have to take my sweater off for this?"

* * *

"Welcome back, Your Highness. I presume you had a good hunt."

Mortigor bowed deeply towards his Prince, his stoic temperament unflappable as usual, but Belphegor scowled angrily at the older man.

"You knew," the golden-haired royal hissed. His butler did not deny the accusation.

"Yes, Your Highness. I was made aware twenty years ago, when you came to the past and sent your then six year old self to the future."

Belphegor was not impressed.

"I suppose you knew about Haru as well." It wasn't a question, especially not when it was delivered in such a sarcastic sneer.

A neutral looking Mortigor nodded once. The Crown Prince sat behind his desk in the study and glared at his errant servant.

"And you chose to conceal what you know from me. Why?" Belphegor demanded acerbically.

"Forgive me for my incompetence, Your Highness," the mostly expressionless butler stated gravely. "I only began to suspect Lady Haru's possible connection to you when she first came here to live with us nearly six months ago, and I didn't dare leap to any conclusions."

"Then you embarked on a _liaison_ with Lady Haru," Mortigor continued delicately, expertly glossing over the strange love-hate relationship between the Prince and his lover. "My hunch slowly became more of a possibility. However, I still wasn't confident enough to share my suspicion, and so I decided to observe further. Besides, Your Highness, you appeared to be around the age when you went back in time, so I figured that it would be a good idea to wait until the time travelling incident occurred before I shared my findings."

"How thoughtful of you, Mortigor," Belphegor snapped derisively. "And were you also waiting for a goddamn miracle when Haru and my past self were under attack earlier on?"

Mortigor didn't even flinch at the unspoken accusation of betrayal.

"It was best for none of the staff to intervene unless absolutely necessary, Your Highness," the butler explained calmly.

"The time paradox is a sensitive mystery and the more we keep things the way they were meant to be, the less change will affect the timeline. That said; I'd like to assure Your Highness that the servants had been just out of sight during the skirmish, carefully monitoring the situation. There had been no chance of mortal danger to yourself and Lady Haru; we would have stepped in immediately-"

"She got shot trying to protect my younger self," the Crown Prince interrupted with ruthless, lethal quiet. "You left a defenseless civilian out there alone to deal with a group of armed assassins."

This time, Mortigor did flinch. The Butler now knew that his Master was truly enraged. It was one thing when Belphegor was throwing a temper tantrum and going around yelling and breaking priceless antiques—that only meant he was pissed off like he usually was. But when the golden-haired Storm Varia quieted down and started to channel his killing intent, the people around him usually died for invoking his vengeful wrath.

Still, a part of Mortigor was heartened that his Prince cared enough for his consort to be so highly upset that she had gotten hurt in his defense. It had taken a long wait of twenty years, but the Prince was finally reunited with the one woman who had made such a great impact on him. He was not taking kindly to the fact that he could have lost her to a bunch of assassins when he had only begun to remember just how important she had been to him, and was naturally quite displeased that his manservant had taken this gamble with her life.

"I understand, Your Highness. I will accept any punishment that you see fit to mete out."

The butler bowed low in apology, understanding that he should not have put the Lady's life at risk, but knowing he would do it all over again if it meant that the Prince's wellbeing would be ensured. Belphegor did not care one way or another, but the severity of the situation was that he was the last of his line, and it was up to his servants to see to it that his blood would not die with him, at least not until he had the chance to produce an heir to carry on the Royal bloodline.

Belphegor gave the older man a cold, measured stare.

"If this happens again, your head will roll." It was a promise.

The butler inclined his head once.

"If this happens again, Your Highness, you will have every right to do with me as you please."

* * *

Hours later, Haru found herself jostled awake from a pleasant nap by what felt like movement. It took the exhausted young woman a minute or so to reorient herself and figure out why it felt like she was moving when she wasn't exerting any energy to do so. Her limbs felt heavy and leaden from the action in the courtyard earlier as well as from the medication that she had been subsequently given by the doctor, dulling the pain in her arm to a faint throb of discomfort.

Her wound had to be stitched close, and the last thing she remembered was the nurses bandaging her upper arm as well as treating the smaller, less severe injuries that they could find on her as she drifted off to sleep. Haru's eyes fluttered open and her blurry sight slowly focused on what was most definitely a Varia uniform, and it began to occur to her that her cheek was pressed against the warm chest of whoever wore it, and that she was being carried down a hallway.

Haru did not panic, despite her disorientated state. The scent of the man who held her was familiar after all, and with a sigh, she relaxed and snuggled against his shoulder.

"Bel…" Haru murmured softly, her eyes closing again.

The golden-haired Prince who was in the process of transporting her to their bedroom snorted irritably, not exactly pleased to be reduced to the role of a pack mule for her.

"What the hell were you eating when I was gone?" he demanded in a grumble. "You are heavy as hell."

Tired or not, that quickly garnered a reaction from Haru. She tilted her head back and glared up at him.

"I'm not fat!" she bristled defensively.

He leered down at her.

"Hn, tell that to my arms. I can't even feel them anymore."

Haru made a sound of outrage. Why, that—

She was so agitated that she accidentally jostled her injured arm, and blanched with pain when she felt her stitches protest at the abuse. She looked down quickly to hide her grimace but Belphegor had already seen the look on her face. He growled.

"You are just _dying_ to go back to the medical wing, aren't you?" he remarked caustically. "Quit squirming!"

Haru glowered weakly at him. She was all doped up and a bit grumpy herself, but she settled down and kept quiet. They reached the bedroom quickly, and if Haru wasn't so drowsy and dazed, she would have noticed the care he took when he laid her on the bed, gruffly tossing the covers over her even though his face was set in a scowl that proclaimed to everyone who looked just what a pain he thought she was.

"Can you lie here by yourself and not fall off the bed?" he asked acidly, and she shot him a withering look.

"I'm only injured, Bel, not retarded," she muttered.

"Well, sometimes I can't tell the difference with you," he shot back snidely, and she did glare at him then.

"Why do you keep trying to aggravate me?" she demanded. She was also struggling to sit up now, which was a bit difficult thanks to her injured arm, and he glared back at her.

"Because you don't know how to quit while you are ahead!" the golden-haired Prince stormed to her side and pushed her back onto the bed. "Stop moving or I'm going to tie you to the damn bed!"

"I don't know what you are talking about!" she yelled back at him, her face reddening from her exertions. Oh, Belphegor was proving to possess this otherworldly ability to make all her lethargy and drowsiness go away quickly, even if they had been induced by medication. She paled just as quickly when she overextended herself though, and very soon, her Varia lover was swearing up a storm as he climbed into bed next to her to look at her bandage. The snowy white swath of sterile cloth were starting to tint pink with fresh blood, and the look on Belphegor's face turned thunderous.

"This is what I'm talking about! You little idiot!" he shouted at her, gesturing at her arm. "Don't try to be a hero when you aren't one! You are just going to get hurt!"

Haru froze at his unexpected outburst, staring up at him with wide eyes, but he wasn't done yet.

"We are going back to the medical wing," he barked, looking completely pissed off. He was about to maneuver his arms under her and hoist her off the bed when Haru batted him away.

"I'm okay," she protested quickly. "It doesn't feel like I have torn my stitches. I just shouldn't make any more…unnecessary movements."

Belphegor's lips flattened with displeasure. "You are still going," he repeated obstinately, not about to budge from his decision.

Haru really did not want to leave the cozy comfort of her bed for a trip to the doctor, where she was most probably going to get more needles in her sorry hide. The brunette stared pleadingly at her grumpy lover with large, doe-like eyes, giving him the most pitiful stare she could manage.

"Please, Bel," she whispered quietly. "I don't want to go back to the ward. I promise to take it easy, alright?"

She was being so meek all of a sudden, and he looked suspiciously at her. The worn out appearance on her face and those sad puppy eyes she was giving him looked quite genuine though, but of course he had no way of telling since this was the very first time he could recall that she was pulling this type of expression on him.

"Please…" she pleaded once more, never taking those soft, glimmering brown eyes off him. "I will be good."

Belphegor twitched. He did not like where this was going, and he was also quickly coming to the rather unpleasant conclusion that he seemed to have no immunity whatsoever to the deadly weapon that she was so expertly wielding on him. That did not sit well with him whatsoever, and only the fact that she seemed completely oblivious to the effect she had on him made the situation bearable. Barely.

The golden-haired Prince looked away from her abruptly, focusing his attention on her bandaged arm instead.

"The bandage doesn't seem like it's absorbing more blood, so you aren't bleeding much," he acknowledged curtly at last. "I will take you to the ward tomorrow." She looked so grateful and that irritated him enough that he could not help but add on, "Besides, you are so damn heavy I don't think I can survive the trip without taking a long rest first."

Haru was too used to his grouchiness to take issue with his rude remarks. She never understood why Belphegor always felt the need to cover up his 'good deeds' by being extra mean right after, but she now knew him well enough not to pay him any heed whenever he was acting that way.

She closed her eyes and gave him a small, exhausted smile. "Thanks."

The Storm Unit Commander watched his lover from the corner of his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Everything about her seemed to be rubbing him the wrong way today, and he especially hated how she easily made him feel things that he didn't particularly like—or want to feel. She could invoke emotions from him that he had never felt before for any other, and he despised how effortlessly she could make him experience such useless, needless feelings when it didn't seem as though she was suffering from the same handicap.

It really pissed him off, and whereas he had always simply shrugged them off in the past, ignoring the discomfort of the foreign feelings that had only seemed to grow stronger as time passed, it was no longer possible for him to do the same, especially not after he now remembered who she really was. The impact that she had made on him twenty years ago had been so strong that he couldn't quite understand how he could have managed to banish her from his thoughts all this while, even if temporarily so.

Until now.

Belphegor hated that he was irrationally compelled by his intangible, yet powerful, connection with Haru to stay with her. He was caught in her well spun web, and worst of all, he wasn't all that desperate to find a way out. The unusual sentiment disturbed him greatly, but as he glared wordlessly at the woman who had just hours ago willingly put herself out as a human shield to protect his younger self from danger, he quickly found, much to his dismay, that he couldn't seem to stay furious at her for long either.

Attempting to resent her for everything that had happened so far was not going to work if he couldn't even muster up a decent sense of disgust for her.

"_I'm Haru," she told him. "Just Haru." _

"_Little Prince," she spoke gently, honestly, then. "You are still too young to take on the world by yourself yet." _

"_Because you are important to me, that's why." _

"_You are not allowed to kill me!"_

"_I'm going to teach you manners even if it kills me," she declared._

"_Okay, I will wait for you to find me."_

"_It will be alright. I swear I will not let you be hurt."_

It had been twenty years, so what did it mean if he could still clearly remember snippets of their conversations from so long ago?

The Prince's gaze fell upon the bandage on her wrist. He remembered how he had bitten her like a rabid animal, how she had only held him tightly in return as she cried for him. He hadn't understood the magnitude of her selflessness then, but he did now. He had done nothing but inflict damage on her, and she had repaid him by trying her best to put him back together again, to repair the jagged, broken pieces of him that no one had ever dared to approach before.

…And she was his, wasn't she? He had claimed her _decades_ before he had even decided to bed her. Maybe that was why she had caught his attention in the first place. Subconsciously, he had remembered her, and when the opportunity came to take her like he had promised, he had grabbed it. She was meant to belong to him and if he thought of it that way, it didn't make him feel half as helpless or as confused as he had felt mere moments before.

She had always belonged to him, therefore it was only natural that he was so protective and attached towards her. That made sense, didn't it?

His quiet fury and fierce resistance to this abrupt, unwanted change in his life quickly drained away as Belphegor finally worked out that he wasn't holding the short end of the stick in this bargain.

The golden-haired Adonis shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his boots, leaving him barefoot in his striped shirt and pants. He unbuttoned his pants but did not take them off, and lay down on the other side of the bed beside Haru. He still had a lot to consider, but at least he wasn't as frustrated as before.

Haru stirred, slowly opening her eyes. She turned her head slightly to look at him. He watched her back wordlessly, expressionless, betraying none of his inner turmoil to her.

"He's gone back already, hasn't he?" she asked at last. "The little Prince."

Her lover only continued to look at her, and slowly, sadness filtered through her delicate features.

"I never got the change to say goodbye."

"You speak as though I'm dead," he snapped suddenly at her, causing her to jump at his irked tone. "I'm still here, you foolish woman."

She gaped at him with surprise, but he only scowled.

"That's not what I mean," she protested. "You are both the same, but he was only a little boy-"

"Well, that little boy grew the hell up," he retorted. "And you may want to stop with the 'little Prince' nonsense. The only little Prince you will find around here is the one in my pants, and he sure as hell isn't 'little.'"

He was leering evilly at her even as she gave him a disbelieving stare.

"What happened to you?" she asked, more bewildered than offended by his offensive tactics. "You weren't like this last time."

He shrugged at her. "I told you; I grew up. You may have interacted with my younger self, little sparrow, but it would be a mistake to treat me like a kid."

He was smirking and acting nonchalant and uncaring as he usually did, and Haru quickly found herself dearly missing the young boy who was serious and had liked her enough to demand that she wait for him to grow up so that he could be with her in the future. Haru supposed she should be glad that Belphegor didn't seem to remember that particular part of their promise, but her heart ached as she wondered what had happened to that boy for him to become this cold, callous man that he was now.

It took her best effort to hide the sadness in her eyes, for she knew that he would surely misinterpret it as pity and would not take kindly to such sentiment. Haru closed her eyes and looked away.

"I think I liked you a lot more when you were six years old," she muttered.

His smirk faded away at her quiet reply, and his lips flattened with displeasure as he looked at her battered form once more. Her injuries served as living reminders of his failings when he was young, so weak and goddamn helpless that he had to rely on the sacrifice of this woman in order to stay alive from a group of half-assed assassins. His six year old self had returned to the past covered in _her_ _blood_, and he never forgot about it.

And he had trained like a person possessed, determined never to be put in a similar situation again, where she would be forced to protect him by offering herself as a substitute, as his shield.

Besides, she had made him promise.

"_You must promise me that you will grow stronger. You are not allowed to give up, and no matter what, you cannot lose to Rasiel."_

It was strange how he was only starting to remember now, and so ridiculously ironic that she had been the one to start him down this path of violence and bloodshed.

Well, he had kept his damn promise, now it was time for him to collect his reward.

But first, there was something he needed to know.

The Storm Varia crawled over his lover, settling himself over her and resting his forearms on either side of her head. He did not touch the injuries on her arm, and merely waited until she acknowledged him. Sure enough, she did, cracking open an eye and giving him a bleary stare.

"What is it now?" she asked, exasperated.

He looked at her through the long blonde veil of his fringe.

"Tell me why you thought that it was a good idea to stand in between a kid and a firing squad."

Haru stared at the grim look on his face, so close to her own. He did not look happy.

"Why are you asking this-"

"Answer my question," he cut her off stiffly.

Haru shook her head slightly and tried to remember the urgency that had pounded in her blood when she realized that they were under attack.

"I- I had no choice. Everything happened so quickly, and we were in an open area. The castle was too far away for us to reach without getting shot at, and you- you were so young and small and probably couldn't run fast anyway, so the next best thing to do would be to dive for a temporary shelter-"

"You could have made it to the castle without me. You could have avoided getting shot at if you left me behind," he interrupted ruthlessly. "Why didn't you do that?"

She gave him an incredulous look.

"Of course not! Are you crazy?" she hissed back. "What kind of person would I be if I left you back there-"

"You had no obligation whatsoever to risk your life for me," he cut in again. She stared at him.

"So if you were in my shoes," she started pointedly.

"I would have left," he replied her shortly before she could even finish. "I would have gained nothing by staying behind and be a human pincushion for a snot-nosed little brat. I'd choose to preserve my own life over any other's any day."

He looked down at her. "So why did you do it?"

"I cannot believe you even have to ask," Haru frowned. "Because it was the right thing to do! How can you ask me to leave behind a defenseless child to fend for himself in that kind of situation?"

He leaned closer to her.

"So you did it only because you were morally obligated to?"

His breath was hot on her skin, his hard gaze piercing hers, leaving her no doubt that he could see everything reflected in her own eyes.

Haru flushed and tore her eyes away, fixing her attention firmly on the ceiling instead.

"Of course," she replied steadily. "Why else would I do it?"

He looked at her closely, but she was nervously not meeting his gaze. His lips started to form a small smirk.

"Is that so?" he purred softly, silkily.

She gulped and nodded quickly.

"Then look at me and tell me so straight to my face."

She could not do it, and her silence was damning.

His smirk widened. Belphegor caught her chin between his fingers and turned her to look at him. Her wide, doe brown eyes locked with his.

"The full truth this time, if you please," he ordered her firmly.

She gulped.

"Alright," the brunette allowed grudgingly. "I did it because I wanted to, okay? Believe it or not, I really did like your six year old self and I would have never forgiven myself if I stood by and did nothing while you got hurt."

Before her idiot lover could puff up like a rooster and cockily remark about his charming irresistibility even at such a young age, Haru continued quickly, eager to get this forced confession over with as quickly as possible so as not to draw out her embarrassment.

"And besides," she mumbled, turning a dull crimson as she looked away from the smugly smiling man staring intently at her. "If I got your past self killed, then it stands to reason that you would also disappear from the space time continuum, and I couldn't let that happen."

Haru was oddly nervous over her admission, and became even more so when the male leaning over her had no reaction whatsoever to her shy confession. After a full minute passed with nothing coming from the normally conceited blonde, Haru tentatively looked at him.

His fringe shadowed the upper half of his face as usual, but the earlier arrogant smirk on his lips was no longer there. He was expressionless, but what was that—

Abruptly, the Varia assassin moved off his lover to his side of the bed and looked for all intents and purposes to be settling down for a nap, his back turned pointedly to her. Haru stared at his sudden change in temperament with bewilderment.

"…Bel?" she called out hesitatively. "Are you not feeling well-"

"Shut up," he muttered gruffly over his shoulder. "Go to sleep."

Haru watched his back confusedly. She should really have gotten used to his mood swings by now, but what was with the feverish look on his face? Maybe he intended to sleep it off or something, just like she should be sleeping off the meds that she had taken earlier. Their conversation was most definitely over for now, and with an inward shrug, Haru resettled herself amongst the duvets, yawning softly and closing her eyes as she pulled the covers snugly around herself.

The poor tired woman was fast asleep within seconds.

On the other side of the bed, the Crown Prince was not having the same luck of falling asleep easily as he usually did.

Lying on his side, Belphegor covered the lower portion of his face with his hand, a quiet string of agitated curses escaping his lips. The normally pale skin over his high cheekbones as well as the bridge of his sharp, patrician nose was tinted with the lightest shade of pink.

Something interesting had happened.

The Prince was _flustered_.

"That stupid woman…"

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Yes, Belphegor was blushing towards the end, just in case you readers were wondering. He didn't manage to go all bright-tomato-red, but he's flustered enough that an incredibly observant person would be able to tell that he has been affected by Haru's sweetness!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Obviously, this is quite a major development in Belphegor and Haru's relationship. He is beginning to 'see the light,' so as to speak, but there will still be a bit of an uphill battle before they both come to terms with their affection for each other.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

For the reviewers who had guessed that Bel-kun (the Sparrow Hawk, not our favorite Storm Varia) had attacked them and/or that mini!Bel had been attacked by assassins and/or that TYL!Bel has switched back with his child form, well, as you can see, you are all partially right!

It may seem surprising that the usually grumpy, hostile Bel-kun was actually fulfilling his duties as a box weapon (minimally so) by warning Haru about the assassins surrounding them, but from the bird's point of view, it makes perfect sense to preserve the life of the hand who has been feeding it. Yes, Haru is only a very convenient, very specialized birdfeeder to the Sparrow Hawk, but that's still better than nothing!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, I have been reading the reviews that you loyal, awesome readers had been sending (Thanks a million, ladies! Your responses seriously make my entire week!) and I figured that I should get off my lazy ass and try to answer some of your questions for once.

To start off, I will begin by addressing Haru's relationship with Tsuna. In this fic, she isn't exactly in love with him anymore, not in the strictest sense, definitely, since they were both adults now and I'd really like to think that she has left most of the fervent childhood infatuation behind her. Haru's still quite affectionate towards Tsuna, though, which shouldn't be surprising, since he was the first boy whom she had loved enough to want to marry. He is still her boss and close friend, though Haru doesn't necessarily limit her affection to various people in her life according to their rank and position.

As for why mini!Bel appears to not be enquiring about his strange time-travelling situation, well, that's because the other Varia Commanders as well as his own butler and personal staff had already assuaged most of his queries, to the best of their abilities and without compromising too much information about the present-future. Mini!Bel is aware that he is somehow working for the Varia twenty years into the future and is smart enough to comprehend that he would have a better chance of survival and would also get to see Haru again if he followed in the footsteps of his future-self. His interest to join Varia ties in with the canon-verse plot, where Belphegor joined the Varia when he was only eight, right after killing Rasiel.

That's all for now!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	24. Chapter 24

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6530

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 31/07/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

* * *

Haru was in love.

"I think I just fell in love with you all over again," the young woman breathed dreamily to the castle's pastry chef as she polished off the last of the choux crème puff that the genius, _genius_ man had made. At the moment, Haru could swear that there was no one as perfectly brilliant as this heaven sent patissier, and that he truly deserved to win a Nobel Prize for gracing mankind with such fine, culinary perfection.

The chef in question, an Italian in his late fifties, beamed modestly with pleasure. The young lady had a finer taste for desserts than most in this castle, and it was no surprise that they got along well. Haru was turning out to be an enthusiastic fan of his delicious creations, and of course it was flattering for the happily married father of three that he had such a pretty supporter.

"You are too generous, Miss Miura," the jolly-looking man spoke heartily with a heavy Italian accent. "And bite your tongue, young lady! The Prince will not be pleased if he hears that he has a rival for your affections!"

Haru turned pink at the chef's teasing insinuation, but no longer protested her innocence when it came to her relationship with Belphegor. After all, everyone in the castle was already aware of what they were and no amount of denial would change that.

"You must be joking, Marco-san," Haru muttered. "Bel really doesn't care about this sort of things." She sported a disgruntled look. "I bet he hasn't even noticed my absence yet-"

"You just lost that bet, little idiot." A dark, distinctly irritated voice sounded right behind her, startling her. Haru quickly turned and eeped when she saw the man in question scowling down at her.

"Bel?" she sounded quite bewildered. "What are you doing here?"

They were down in the kitchens, and there was her annoyed looking lover, standing at the entrance of the humongous room where all the meals were prepared for the inhabitants of the castle. Haru had been sitting on a stool that she had brought down with her for her visit, and had been contentedly eating her cream puff off one of the gleaming metallic preparation tables when the golden haired Varia found her.

Belphegor crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a good glare.

"Looking for you, what else do you think? You are not allowed to be in the kitchens. What the hell are you doing down here?" he parroted her question sharply back at her, pushing away from the doorframe and stalking towards her.

Haru shrugged, regaining her composure. "I was visiting a friend," she replied, giving Marco-san a small, bright smile.

Belphegor ignored the chef, not amused.

He had been growing steadily irritated since he woke up earlier and found her side of the bed empty. She had just been shot just the day before but unlike any _sensible_ patient who should be resting, she had jetted off first thing in the morning and had disappeared off to god knew where. It had taken him a better part of half an hour searching for her within the vast castle, and he had only by chance found her in this obscure, restricted part of the castle thanks to a foot soldier who had spotted her in the vicinity.

"The only place you are supposed to visit right now is the medical ward," he snapped. "Not hide down here scarfing down food like a hungry beggar."

The cream puff that she was accused of devouring like a famished beast had been so good that Haru did not take offense to Bel's accusation.

"Oh, but I have been to the ward already," she told him instead. "I didn't tear my stitches, and they redressed my bandages for me. As long as I do not agitate my injury, I am given free rein to do whatever I want to do."

It appeared that she had been a busy individual this morning, and she wasn't even half done yet.

"I'm heading out to the courtyard after this to feed Bel-kun," she continued cheerily. "And after that I'm going to the dungeons to do some work."

One of the kitchen assistants came up to hand her a small container of raw chicken pieces then, and Haru thanked the young man, blithely heedless of the Storm Varia glowering down at her. Most in her position would have been quivering and intimidated by the glare Prince Belphegor was leveling at her, and the kitchen staff was certainly awed by how Haru was handling the bad tempered royal.

After a brief flurry of goodbyes to the bemused patissier, Haru grabbed her stool and the container of chicken, heading out of the kitchens when her silently simmering lover snatched the chair from her, grabbed her wrist and dragged her unceremoniously through the doors.

Haru allowed him to pull her down the hallways, momentarily surprised by how he had been thoughtful enough to carry the heavier item for her. The Belphegor of the past surely wouldn't have bothered to help, and a bewildered Haru was trying to figure out what was different this time around.

The blonde pawned off the stool on the first foot soldier he saw, pushing the piece of furniture at the unsuspecting man and ordering him to return it. Then he resumed his long strides down the various passageways of the castle, at least until Haru quickly put a stop to this nonsense of dragging her all over the place.

"You are walking too fast, Bel! Slow down or let go of me!" she protested. To her surprise, he actually heeded her request and slowed down his pace. Now, Haru stared at him with a look of mild astonishment on her face. Okay, something was really wrong here. Belphegor was actually being _considerate_.

"Are you feeling well?" she blurted out at last. She shook herself free from his grip on her wrist and slipped her hand in his instead, willfully dragging him to a stop as she moved towards him and raised her free hand to his forehead. He didn't feel warm to her, and certainly didn't look all that delirious either, at least not any different than he usually was.

Haru glanced at his face and was startled to see him staring intently at her, unmoving, watching her as if he had just realized that she was the most fascinating thing in the world. Her eyes widened slightly with surprise and her hand dropped quickly from his forehead as she tried to take an instinctive step backwards, suddenly realizing that she was standing too close to him. He did not let her move away, his arm coming up around her waist as he reeled her closer, cocking his head slightly as he continued to watch her.

It was almost creepy if not for the way her heart was beginning to pound in reaction to the way he had channeled his attention completely on her, a small blush growing on her face when she realized that he was looking at her the way a man looked, _really looked_, at a woman.

"B-Bel?" she stammered uncertainly. It was strange seeing him like this, his aristocratic features expressionless but for the breathless intensity that he seemed to be focusing purely on her and her alone, and inwardly, she wondered with surprise just when she had gotten used to his jester-like grins and smirks.

They were standing right in the middle of the quiet hallway, but that did not stop the golden-haired Prince from pulling her into an intimate embrace and lowering his head to hers, pressing his face into the side of her neck as he inhaled her familiar, comforting scent and silently relished in her presence. Haru's eyes had gotten as wide as saucers then, not comprehending his unexpectedly affectionate actions, but as she felt his stiff form relax, melding contentedly into hers, her honey brown eyes softened and her arms slowly came up around him, holding him tightly.

The tip of his nose dug into the crook of her shoulder and she sighed quietly, not understanding her lover's strange behavior but liking it enough not to question it. It felt surprisingly…nice to be held by him, and Haru enjoyed this rare, quiet moment with Belphegor.

He released her eventually though, untangling himself from her and stepping away, still not speaking. His face was carefully blank, and she had the inkling that he was feeling somewhat chagrinned by his own impulsive actions. It told her enough that he had certainly not planned to do this, and her insides melted at the surprised, almost bewildered air that surrounded him. She was charmed by this previously unknown side of him, and smiled shyly, sweetly at him, the look in her eyes soft and wondering, her face pink with pleasure.

The strange pressure in the vicinity of her chest was increasing rapidly; her heart was fluttering with something that was heavy and light at the same time, full and intense, but gentle and so very tender that it was almost hard to breathe. Haru could not delude herself anymore. She _knew_ this feeling. She had felt it once, ten years ago, when a boy named Sawada Tsunayoshi had fished her bedraggled self out of a raging river, saving her life with his 'dying will,' and even then, the degree of her affection had been nowhere near the scale of what she was feeling right now—

Oh no.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

This was not happening. Belphegor and Tsuna were so different that they were like night and day. How on earth could this happen? It made sense that she would feel great affection and would even develop a huge crush on Tsuna—he had saved her life, after all—but Belphegor had _thrown her into a river_, for crying out loud! How could she even—

The soft, dazed expression on her face was quickly changing into one of disbelief and confusion.

Haru backed away slowly from Belphegor. She needed to think this through, without the distraction of his presence. Judging by what she could see of his face, he looked like he needed to be left alone as well. He was beginning to look quite agitated with this unexpected situation himself, and immediately, she wondered if he was regretting his impulsive, unthinking action and the resulting chaos it was causing, and a part of her grew unexplainably upset and distressed at the notion.

"I- I'm going to feed Bel-kun now," she mumbled, and when he made no move to stop her, she turned swiftly and hurried down the hallway. For someone who had just been shot at, she sure was moving quite fleet footedly at the moment, and before long, she was in the courtyard.

Her Sparrow Hawk came soaring down towards her the moment it spotted her, shrilling a piercing cry as it landed on her shoulder. Its sharp claws dug through her shirt and pricked her flesh but Haru hardly felt it. She stretched out her arm and the avian clumsily half hopped, half glided to perch on her forearm, crankily demanding food the entire time. The confused woman started to feed her box animal almost on autopilot, but the small accipiter hardly cared about her lack of attention as long as she continued to feed it.

Haru watched her hawk as it greedily swallowed the pieces of raw chicken, absently admiring its beautiful golden brown plumage and sleek aerodynamic features. Its tail feathers flared with strong, blinding golden flames, and all in all, Haru could not deny that Bel-kun was a very handsome specimen of a bird. He was quite intelligent too, if rather belligerent and highly wary of people, and downright violent as well. But he had protected her when those assassins had come, alerting her to their presence in the only way he knew how, screaming and scratching at her face, driving her to keep moving, disallowing the snipers a chance to lock onto her as a target.

Just like his namesake, Bel-kun had managed to keep her from sustaining any mortal injury, even if the hawk's method of saving her was somewhat unorthodox and had earned her a few bruises and scratches along the way. It was exactly like what Belphegor would do to get her away from danger; he didn't treat her like a fragile, useless porcelain doll, and he fully expected her to pull her own weight when it came to the preservation of her own wellbeing. He would defend her when she could not help herself, but did nothing else beyond that. He never did mollycoddle her excessively, and that implied he at least retained some confidence in her own abilities, even if somewhat meager, to keep herself alive. She would never be strong enough to fend off the type of opponents that he was used to fighting, but she was certainly intelligent enough to stall for time until he could come for her.

Haru never realized how grateful she was to him for allowing this small trust in her until now, giving her a chance to _not_ be a deadweight damsel in distress, allowing her to discover her own limits and a tenacity that could clearly grow beyond the protective Family of Tsuna and his Guardians, _if only given a chance_.

With Tsuna, she would always be a precious somebody to be protected at all costs, a beloved member of his Famiglia. After all that was said and done, she was only yet another burden to the Vongola Decimo whom she had loved so dearly since she was fourteen years old.

_But with Belphegor, she now realized that she had the potential to become something more. _

That feeling in her heart; that same powerful feeling that made her feel so strong and so weak at the same time, returned with a vengeance. This time around, Haru did not fight it. She trembled inwardly at the intensity of her emotions, but welcomed every bit of it, relishing in the wonderful, breathtaking sensation. A small smile started to curve on her lips, brightening more as she quickly came to terms with the decision that she had just made for herself as her chaotic feelings started to settle down, unable to shake the determination that only grew stronger and stronger in her heart.

It was ridiculously clichéd, but if Tsuna had been the Knight in Shining Armor whom she had chased after so fruitlessly all these years, then perhaps Belphegor was the Jester Prince who had stolen her heart when she wasn't looking.

For the second time in her life, at the age of twenty four, _Haru was in love_.

_

* * *

_

Belphegor was pissed off.

Today had started off not so pleasantly for him and his temper had only been steadily getting worse as the day progressed. In addition to his unexplainable frustration, he was also confused as hell, and that only made the Prince even more annoyed than he already was.

It was starting to become clear to him that the woman was becoming more troublesome than she was worth. She was supposed to be nothing more than a plaything for him, a mere passing curiosity, but it was obvious by now that he had underestimated the full extent of her allure. Somehow, she had managed to catch his undivided attention with her prickly personality and feisty, spirited temper, and it had also helped that they fit so damn well together in bed. It went to the point where the more he had her under him, the more he craved her. No other women could do for him now; he only had eyes for her and _he was beginning to feel like a complete idiot_.

Belphegor certainly had not agreed to this knowingly, to be completely bound by sheer attraction to one mere woman. Somehow, it had happened without his express knowledge, denying him of the right to choose, and oh, the Prince was feeling damned cheated, all right. This was all the fault of that woman, he just knew it. She had somehow bewitched him with her large doe eyes and her pretty face and her sweet, addictive body, and not even her snappy temper and at times shrill, harpy voice could snap him out of his doomed fascination with her. If he wasn't careful, she would be leading him around by the nose before he could even blink, and he would soon be jumping through hoops like a circus clown seeing to her every little whim.

His self-admitted lack of control made him grow stiff with anger, and even though he had decided the night before that she belonged to him, she had no right to distract him so easily. He was a Prince and she was just a little nobody! How could she affect him thusly? And this morning's brief interaction with her had proven without a doubt that something was wrong with his bloody head; why the hell did he decide all of a sudden that the woman smelt really good and that it would be a good idea to fucking _hug_ her in the middle of the hallway, where any moron living in the castle could have strolled by and seen him behaving like a goddamned weakling?

He had been so stunned by his own actions after that it had taken him a good minute or so to realize his folly. It was a good thing that the woman had been smart enough to make herself scarce by then; if not he would have yelled her ears off for just being there and looking so damn…innocently delectable!

This was getting ridiculous, and it had to stop. He was losing control of himself and everything around him, and this woman was making him look like a demented fool. He had to put a swift end to it, never mind that she was the only woman he had always known since the age of six that he would ever want this badly, and that he was well aware that she would have sacrificed her life in exchange for a chance for his survival yesterday, had the situation been dire enough to require her to do so.

He was determined to remove the root of the problem by cutting her off from him entirely, and once he made up his mind to do just that, the genius Prince of Varia promptly proceeded to make the very huge mistake of finding the woman in question to personally inform her of his decision, hoping to break her little heart and force her to hate him instead, after which he would be able to see for himself once and for all that she was really nothing special.

The poor man was obviously confused, in denial, and had no idea whatsoever who he was dealing with.

This time around, Belphegor really didn't stand a chance.

* * *

Not surprisingly, he found her before she could even begin to search for him in the large castle.

It had only been less than half an hour since Haru had fed Bel-kun, and she had returned the empty container to the kitchens and had just washed her hands when she came out from one of the common bathrooms and found her blonde lover lurking outside, obviously waiting for her.

Haru wasn't terribly surprised that he had found her already. She was so used to him knowing her whereabouts it no longer fazed her that he seemed to have a GPS tracker on hand specially designed to find her. It was just as well that he was here anyway; it saved her the trouble of looking for him.

Her heart quickly betrayed her strange nervousness around him by starting to beat so quickly and loudly that she half expected him to hear it as well, and when she realized the direction of her silly thoughts, she quickly shut it down. He was leaning carelessly against the opposite wall in the deserted hallway, his sharp, aristocratic face unusually blank, no hint of a devious smile or a familiar smirk whatsoever on his lips. Haru approached him cautiously, trying to gauge his mood but failing when she realized she could not read him at all. She was not afraid of him though, just not sure what he was thinking.

"Bel?" she stopped right before him, her head tilted up to his, her eyes searching his smoothed out features fruitlessly. His marked lack of emotions was…disconcerting, to say the least, and Haru was growing worried. "Is there something wrong?"

His lips flattened at the earnest look of concern on her face, the unconcealed worry that shone in her eyes as she looked over him, trying to find out what was disturbing him so. For some inexplicable reason, that irritated him so much that he quickly snapped at her.

"Stop it." His voice was harsh and venomous, and momentarily stunned, she just stared at him with huge eyes.

"Stop what?" she asked faintly, not sure what he meant.

He straightened to his full height and glared menacingly down at her.

"Stop doing all these unnecessary things," he ordered sharply.

Her brow furrowed with incomprehension.

"What unnecessary things?" she echoed again, slowly growing bewildered. Why was he so angry?

"You know what I mean," he growled. "I don't need your damn fawning or those tender looks as if I'm a fucking six year old still."

So that was what he was so angry about. She quickly shook her head, all the while wondering just where he had gotten that ridiculous notion.

"But I'm not treating you like your past self," she denied. "Can't I be nice to you just because I want to?" _Because I love you?_

"No, you can't," he bit out angrily, and she gave him an incredulous look. "I don't need you to be 'nice.' I don't even want it."

He was beginning to sound like a petulant child, and despite her own incredulity over the sheer ridiculousness of his demand, she could not help but still feel great affection for her irritated lover. It was a weakness that she had always had; she could never get truly mad at Tsuna no matter what he did, and it would most likely be the same for Belphegor as well now.

Still, just for the sake of keeping up with appearances, Haru smiled a little tauntingly at Belphegor, who was currently glaring at her still.

"Well, I _want_ to be nice to you," she told him quite firmly. "You will just have to get used to it."

He looked momentarily nonplussed by her answer. Then he glowered at her.

"I'm not giving you a choice," he hissed.

She looked at him silently for a few seconds or so. Then, when he least expected it, she closed the distance between them, tiptoed, held his face between her hands, and kissed him softly on the mouth. He didn't quite remember her being so forward and so initiative in the past, and held himself stiffly until the kiss ended. Haru peered up at him from behind dense lashes, but did not seem disappointed by his lack of response. She leaned forward once more but this time only pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek. He could feel the soft, moist heat of her lips imprinted on the side of his face, but still he deliberately held his aloofness. She backed away slowly from him, and looked at him steadily.

"I'm not giving you a choice either," she informed him quietly.

He wanted to sneer at her, open his mouth and tell her that he had gotten bored of her and no longer wished to continue their liaison, but the soft, wondering look in her eyes had returned as she looked at him, and Belphegor quickly realized that he was well and truly trapped within her genuine, affectionate gaze whether he wanted it or not, and desperate, he snarled out.

"Don't think that you have the right to behave so familiarly towards me! You are not the only woman I have had before and you are not that special!"

He was being deliberately hurtful, and she did not deny that his harsh words had cut deeply, but she saw the fierce grimace on his face, the way his jaw clenched with frustration. She did not understand why he was acting out this way all of a sudden, being so hostile and mean towards her, more so than he usually did anyway, but she could see that he was truly agitated.

And so she backed off.

"Okay." She calmly accepted his vicious remark that she really wasn't all that special, and the fact that she hardly appeared affected by his sharp statements only served to confuse and further irritate him. Then, much to his disbelief, she turned and proceeded to walk away from him. He stared at her retreating back for a good moment or so before he realized that she had no intention of stopping. Irate, he immediately chased her down.

"This conversation is not over yet," he bit out as he caught up to her, his hand lashing out to catch her arm, his long fingers manacling her wrist. She was whirled around to face him.

"You are angry," she commented, and he thought he could feel his eyelid ticking in response to her obvious observation.

"You think?" he retorted with stinging sarcasm.

"But I did nothing to make you angry," she reasoned logically.

"You did enough!" he yelled at her then, losing his temper. How on earth was she being so calm when he was the one who was frazzled and angry? He wanted her to be equally affected by whatever this thing was that was afflicting him, and it was upsetting him that he seemed to be the only one who was not taking this situation well at all.

"You changed!" he accused. "You look at me in a different light now and I do not like it at all. Your behavior has changed as well, and it just pisses me off!"

He had gotten right in her face as he barked out his displeasure, and she froze briefly.

"What are you saying, Bel?" she asked at last. He was glaring heatedly at her, and she continued. "Do you want to end this?"

"Yes! I want this to stop!" He didn't even hesitate, and her eyes widened with inexplicable hurt. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to cry, but then she stiffened her spine and started to glare back at him.

"So you are telling me that you want to break this off because I have changed-"

"That's right!"

"-Because I'm being nicer to you-"

"I neither need nor want your kindness!" he sneered.

Haru narrowed her eyes. He had leaned down and brought his face so close to hers that they were nearly nose to nose, his teeth bared like a cornered dog. Unfazed, the young woman whom he was trying to intimidate but without much success continued to speak.

"So you are just afraid of this change and are therefore reluctant to give this a chance," she concluded in a low, tight voice, getting quite angry herself.

"Yes! What? No!" The golden haired man denied instantly, but it was as if a fuse had already been lit under Haru. The brunette glared ferociously at her irresponsible lover, and for a moment, she was so furious that she saw red. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand came up, her fingers found purchase in his right ear, and she gave it a vicious twist. The surprised Prince didn't have time to react and could only grunt in pained surprise when she held firm and did not let go even when he tried to pull away, the damn shrew.

Her eyes bore fierce holes into his. "You," she hissed with a fine fury, "Are. A. Coward."

She let him go then, as abruptly as she had grabbed him at the beginning, and by then, he had promptly stiffened with outrage at her ridiculous statement. Within the blink of an eye, he had her pinned to the wall with his weight, and he hadn't been at all gentle about it. Haru winced inwardly as her back collided against the unforgiving wall painfully, but she still maintained a fierce, unwavering scowl at Belphegor.

"Do you have a death wish?" he snarled right to her face.

She glared right back at him and promptly ignored the overwhelming threat that he posed. It was no small feat to pull off as he was losing his temper and looked quite furious himself, his normally smooth features twisted with rage, his grip on her arms painful as he failed to control his own strength.

Haru stuck her nose up in the air and demanded sharply to be released. "Let go of me," she ordered like a haughty Queen. "I'm done with this conversation."

Oh, she did not just say that!

Belphegor got so mad that he could almost imagine his head swelling purple with rage. It was a most un-princely like behavior, but at the moment, he could hardly care less. His entire attention was focused on this idiot woman of his and he was this close to strangling her. More than anything else, Belphegor was beginning to find out that above all the grief she had caused him already, he really did not like to be ignored or dismissed by her, and so that was how he quickly realized that there was a huge flaw in his plan of cutting himself off from her.

"We are not fucking done yet," he snapped out furiously, and to his increasing chagrin, he was completely disregarded once again by her.

"Yes, we are." She had the gall to refute him. Her voice was were steady and firm but her eyes burned with fury. "Since you are so eager to be rid of me, I will do exactly as you please. I will ask Squalo-san to assign me to Fran-san or Lussuria-san from now on, so you need not worry about my harassing you with my affections any longer."

She had been stung by his callous, hurting remarks, and it showed in the way she was glowering fiercely at him. She wasn't backing down from him at all and it made him want to do something irrational like force her to submit to his will. Truly, only she had the ability to make his blood stir so easily like this, and a part of him wondered if he would be so attracted to her if it wasn't like this.

Somehow he doubted it, and with that, quickly came to the conclusion that he really had been acting quite ridiculous for the past half an hour or so. He was not magnanimous enough to admit it out loud to her of course, and because she was still muttering under her breath about trying to leave him (and that was irritating him something fierce too), he shut her up in the fastest way he knew how. The golden haired Prince lowered his head to hers and promptly kissed her into silence.

Haru did not acquiesce to his demand quietly. She resisted him quite emphatically, in fact, protesting and trying to squirm frantically out of his twisted embrace, using her hands as levers to pry him off her. Unfortunately, he was a lot stronger than he looked and still had her pinned uncomfortably to the wall. It didn't appear he was about to let up anytime soon, and much to her squeal of outrage, he even leaned fully into her to discourage her struggles, his nimble fingers quickly latching onto her wrists and keeping them unobtrusive and out of the way. Trapped between him and the wall, Haru was well and truly caught by him, but she still wasn't ready to give up yet.

How dare he? She was not a toy for him to discard and then take back anytime he wished! She would not stand for this kind of treatment, even if he was the one whom her heart had so foolishly chosen!

Just thinking of it sent a renewed burst of fire coursing brashly through Haru's veins, and with an infuriated growl, she headbutted him.

Belphegor was not expecting _that_.

Pain exploded across his forehead, and that little surprise was enough to cause him to let go of her reflexively, taking a step backwards as he clutched at his now throbbing head and started to curse. Then, as if to add further insult to injury, Haru took advantage of his current preoccupation to land a solid kick on his shin. Her head was aching as well from the collision with his surprisingly hard head and that had not helped improve her mood at all, and covering her own tender forehead with her hand, Haru gave her insensitive lover a good glare.

"You are an idiot, Bel!" she yelled at him, and then she could not control herself anymore. Her large, angry eyes started to fill with tears, and it wasn't long before they overflowed. She swiped at them furiously, but the tears kept flowing and did not look like they were about to stop anytime soon. Haru was extremely embarrassed by her outburst, and quickly looked stubbornly at the floor.

Right in front of her, the Prince's potty mouth had stopped abruptly, casting a sudden silence as compared to a moment ago, when he had been spitting out expletives with the impressive speed of a machine gun. The scowling Bel stared at the small, quivering form of the woman as she fought not to cry (and was failing miserably), and was so incredulous that he didn't know what to say. This was definitely the first time he had made her cry, which was quite a miraculous feat in itself since he had tried for months when she had first come to Italy and she had never given him the satisfaction of succeeding. And now here she was, bursting into tears when he clearly wasn't expecting it at all and it made him strangely queasy—and irritated—to see her like that.

Instead of the sadistic glee he had expected to experience, he only found himself feeling discontented and quite disgruntled.

"…Hey," he demanded crossly at last, with a rather noticeable tone of aggravation. "Is it right for you to be caterwauling like that when I am the one who has been physically assaulted?"

She was definitely the only person in this world who was still alive despite having attacked him repeatedly on several separate occasions—as his poor, abused shin could attest—and his leniency towards her recurring offences on his person spoke enough for his embarrassing weakness when it came to her. If she was airheaded enough not to notice that, then he sure as hell wasn't about to point it out to her. And as noted again, she had the ability to make him so mad, and then turn right around and cool his temper right down again—and she wasn't even trying. After months of attempting to figure out just what was so special about her and failing, Belphegor had just about given up.

The female in question had her head hanging down still, and she hadn't stopped crying yet, even though she was being pitifully silent about it, not carrying on and wailing his ears off like he had seen some other women do. Her shoulders were quivering from the force of her upset, and droplets of tears kept dripping off her hidden features and to the carpet on the floor. His lips flattened with displeasure; really, she was being such a…_girl_ about this.

He tsked with impatience. "Are you going to be done anytime soon?" he asked edgily, crossing his arms across his chest.

It turned out that his usual irritating self was enough to rouse a response from the upset woman.

"S-shut up!" she spluttered, lifting her head at last to give him a watery glare. She looked rather unflattering with her face red and splotchy from crying, but at least she no longer appeared pathetic like someone had just killed her puppies. "You are such an insensitive brute!"

He was unperturbed by her name calling. She was so unimaginative when it came to cursing out other people that it was downright boring.

"And you can be such a little bitch at times," he retorted casually in return. "We make a suitable match."

She gaped foolishly at his nonchalant answer in a rather unflattering manner, but recovered before he could make a derisive remark on her idiotic appearance. She glowered at him.

"You! You can't keep doing this to me!" she accused angrily. "You said you wanted to end this-"

"I changed my mind." He even had the gall to shrug at her.

Haru looked like she wanted to kill him then, which really was a vast improvement from earlier, when she had been crying all over the damn place. At least she had stopped by now.

"You- you-" she sputtered, so agitated that she was unable to form a proper sentence. He cocked his head slightly, watching her with a calculating look that was perfectly hidden behind his long fringe, and then, taking advantage of her momentary preoccupation, he slid in close.

A long, index finger wiped away the remnants of the tear tracks that were on her cheeks, and the gruffly apologetic action was enough to give her pause. She stared at him cautiously with eyes still tear-reddened, and tried diligently to ignore the way her insides were melting at his stunningly gentle touch.

She felt her agitation ebb away slowly, and she quieted, comforted by his touch despite still being angry at him. She refused to look at him though, but as long as he kept his big mouth shut, she supposed she could enjoy the talent of his wonderful hand.

It appeared that she was being too quiet, for the Prince muttered an expletive then, though there wasn't a lot of heat in it this time around.

"Hell. I will even tolerate those idiotic goldfish-eyed looks from you," he sounded downright exasperated, and she scowled.

"It's not idiotic and I don't look like a goldfish," she snapped immediately, offended.

She could almost see him rolling his eyes ceiling ward in response, and she pinched his arm in retaliation. He bore it stoically, though he was starting to grimace as well.

"And of course, that includes any other abuse you throw at me," he bit out, looking quite irritated now.

That made Haru look closely at him, but it did seem as though he wasn't lying, long suffering expression and all, and despite her initial misgivings, she decided to forgive him.

Then, he just had to go and open his mouth.

"Well? Can we move on to the makeup sex already?" he demanded impatiently, and immediately, all the warm and fuzzy feelings she had for him instantly evaporated into thin air.

Haru twitched.

"…Just shut up already, Bel!"

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Ahaha, Bel is still Bel. Even when he is trying to be a bit considerate towards Haru's tender feelings, he is still his usual perverted self!

Hoped you enjoyed this chapter!

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And yes, Haru has finally realized (much to her misfortune) that she has fallen in love with the Varia's resident homicidal Prince. As you can see, she has eventually accepted it only after a very minor freak out session, though unfortunately for her, Belphegor had to throw a huge temper tantrum before coming to terms with his own feelings about the matter.

Personally, I liked writing their scream fest with each other. My Haru in this fic is admittedly softhearted and ladylike most of the time, but that doesn't mean she'd let Belphegor stomp all over her feelings just to blow off some steam. She gets rather fired up herself when her emotions and her love are threatened, and just picturing the two of them yelling at each other in the middle of the hallway made me smile with demented glee. They are such an explosive, dynamic couple, and won't you agree that they are a match made in heaven?

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, I have had several curious readers wondering how it is possible that Bel had not gotten Haru pregnant yet after all the hanky panky that they had been up to. Well, I have actually explained this before in the ending notes of Chapter 12, but Haru is definitely on pills. I hadn't gotten around to explaining the birth control measures that Haru had been taking in the fic itself, so do forgive me for that careless oversight!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	25. Chapter 25

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4581

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 06/08/10

**

* * *

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**Chapter Twenty Five**

* * *

"Tch. You are still alive and kicking, I see."

Surprised by the gruff, oddly familiar voice, Haru turned her head quickly to the source, her eyes widening when she saw a certain silver-haired, chain smoking right hand man of their Juudaime leaning casually against the doorframe of her suite.

"Hayato?" she called out, sounding genuinely surprised—and incredulous. "Is that really you?"

The Storm Guardian rolled his eyes. "Stupid woman, apparently even the fresh country air in Italy cannot curb your imbecilic penchant for asking the obvious," the man muttered sarcastically. Haru glared at him. He was definitely the same smart mouthed, super annoying Gokudera she knew, that was for sure.

"Don't call me a stupid woman, you idiotic man!" she shot back at him, easily falling into their usual mode of communication—arguing. They had been sniping at each other pretty much since the very first day they met, and ten years later, nothing had changed.

Haru stalked up and brushed past him to leave the room, and hardly offended, the lanky, suited male followed her out to the hallway. It was roughly noontime and she had been making a brief stop back to her room to drop off some notes to peruse later that night when Hayato had made his unexpected appearance at her door, and despite her usual irritation at the offensive man, Haru was actually quite glad to see him, someone from her country.

"What are you doing here in Italy, anyway?" the brunette asked grudgingly after a moment of silence.

"Vongola business," Hayato replied promptly, with no further inclination for providing details. Haru didn't mind. She really didn't want to know, anyway. The silver-haired man had a distinctly harried, unhappy look on his face. "Why else would I bother to return to this godforsaken country?"

It was at the tip of Haru's tongue to protest that Italy really wasn't that bad, but she understood the reason behind Hayato's dislike for this country, and so she held her tongue. By now, almost all of the original members of Tsuna's Family were aware of the Storm Guardian's tumultuous past with his blood family, and it made sense that returning to Italy, his homeland, must have stirred some pretty bad memories for the man.

And so, Haru tactfully changed the subject.

"Huh, how did you find me so easily, anyway?" she asked. "I didn't see you at the hall during lunch, so that means you must have just arrived. This castle is so huge I don't believe that you could have run into me by mere chance alone."

Hayato glanced sideways at the curious woman. "I located you with the GPS tracker, of course. Don't you know that our Boss had a tracker surgically implanted into each of us?" he asked quite seriously.

Haru gawked. She had definitely never heard of any such thing. "No, I didn't know!" she exclaimed, surprised. "Tsuna really did that?"

It was most unlike the Juudaime to do such things behind their backs, so what was going on?

"No, of course he did no such thing," the silver-haired man deadpanned after he had a moment of amusement confusing Haru. She stared at him. "I was just kidding. As for your question, I asked a passing servant for your whereabouts."

The Storm Guardian smirked slightly.

"You are a bit slow as usual, aren't you?"

Almost immediately, Haru was blatantly reminded that it had been over half a year since she last tried to do the universe a great service by attempting to murder one Gokudera Hayato. It was really half a year too long.

"Hayato, can you do me a favor?"

The man in question eyed the saccharine sweet expression on her face, though it badly hid the visible twitch of aggravation on her forehead. He arched his brow.

"Stay still for five minutes so that I can kill you," she demanded irritably.

He shook his head at her.

"Stupid woman," he told her. "You will need more than five minutes if you really want to do me in."

Whether he was boasting about his own abilities or plain undermining hers, Haru was not sure. Either way, his flippant reply really annoyed her, and she reacted the way she always had when dealing with this silver-haired menace. The young woman reached over to wrap her fingers around his scrawny neck, a practice that she had been following diligently since the first time they met. However, it was getting harder and harder over the years to actually succeed in strangling Hayato. For one, he had actually grown much taller than she had, and was obviously not that scrawny any longer.

Still, Haru gave it her best shot, spurred on by the increasingly amused expression of the Storm Guardian as he easily hindered her efforts by keeping out of her range.

"Quit moving, damn it!" Haru growled as she pounced towards her childhood friend/rival, and Hayato barked with laughter as he evaded her attempts to do him bodily harm. It was as if they had both regressed to the age of fourteen once more, taunting each other just for the hell of it.

And it was this familiar sight that Belphegor stumbled upon, had found his lover and the Vongola Storm Guardian in; the usually scowling man was grinning with unholy amusement as he kept an irritated Haru at arm's length with his hand splayed against her forehead, and she was alternating between muttering curses and yelling at him as she tried to overcome his longer reach but to no avail.

"What is going on here?"

Hearing Bel's voice cutting sharply down the hallway was enough to snap Haru out of her tunnel vision when it came to besting Hayato, and the brunette ceased in her struggles against Hayato to glance at Belphegor in surprise. The golden-haired Varia was standing at the mouth of the passageway, some distance away from the duo, his expression neutral as he observed the spectacle before him, and Haru was immediately embarrassed to be caught in such a childish display.

Her silver-haired partner-in-crime did not seem to share her chagrin, however. The Storm Guardian merely straightened as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary, and sent the other man a faint, mocking smile.

"Hello to you too, Belphegor," Hayato remarked even as he dropped his defending hand back to his side, confident that the she-devil would behave herself in front of others. He started to stroll towards the Varia executive, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Haru followed as well.

Belphegor watched Haru closely as she neared. She looked a bit self-conscious and could not seem to look him in the eye, and he started to frown. The blonde swung his attention sharply back to the Vongola Storm Guardian.

"Gokudera Hayato," he acknowledged with a sharp smile. "What are you doing here?"

The smartly suited male gave the Prince a look. The man was certainly a bit irritable today, Hayato noted.

"I'm here on official business, of course. Escort detail."

Belphegor did not miss what Hayato did not say.

"That means Sawada Tsunayoshi is here as well." It wasn't a question that the Prince was asking, though Haru quickly perked up at his remark.

"Wait; Tsuna is here?" She sounded pleasantly surprised. She quickly turned to Hayato for confirmation, and when the man nodded, a large, happy grin spread across the brunette's face.

"Why didn't you say so at the beginning?" Haru half-scolded the Storm Guardian. "Where is he now? I want to see him!"

She looked entirely too happy to only have had a typical relationship with her leader, that much Belphegor could quickly surmise. Judging by the complete lack of surprise on Gokudera's face, her affection towards Sawada Tsunayoshi was definitely nothing new to the Storm Guardian.

"Oi, hold your horses. Boss is in a meeting with Xanxus right now." Hayato rolled his eyes. "I swear you act like an overexcited Chihuahua every time Juudaime is mentioned."

Haru promptly blustered at the unfortunately apt analogy. "I do not act like a Chihuahua!" she denied, reaching out to smack the silver-haired man in the arm. She stuck out her tongue at him. "Tsuna is dear to me!"

Hayato didn't look like he cared one way or another, though standing beside him, Belphegor was starting to look quite irritated. He wasn't scowling outright or throwing his usual temper tantrums, but his facial expression had smoothed out completely, and superficially, he appeared downright disinterested, bored, in fact, of the conversation.

But Haru knew for a fact that Belphegor was seldom blank faced. He leered, he smirked, he taunted. He hid his emotions behind the various sardonic, jester-like masks that he switched about easily at whim, and the one and only time she had seen him looking deliberately placid, it had turned out to be only the calm before the storm—literally.

Faintly, Haru wondered what it meant if she was beginning to develop the ability to read her lover's mood, but still could not grasp what he was thinking at all. It was frustrating, especially at times like now, when she wasn't quite sure how to act around him in the presence of her friends. He wasn't giving her any hint of how to proceed at all, and she was flustered and felt like she was blindly fumbling about with no clue whatsoever of the direction she was supposed to be heading.

After all, their relationship had never been properly defined; it wasn't as if he had wooed and courted her to become his girlfriend—or had even had the decency to ask for her to be so. No, the dratted man had just decided one fine day that he wanted her, and that was that. He seemed to see her as his private belonging or something to that extent and she had reluctantly allowed it at first because he could be so very persuasive when he wanted to be and he had never really learned how to take 'no' for an answer.

Then later, _much, much later_, when she had gotten to know him better and could at rare occasions glimpse the 'knight' in him under all that pile of tarnished armor, she began to develop some feelings for him, enough to actually no longer mind being with his usual brash, irritating self. Haru had just accepted their strange little arrangement as what it was; neither here nor there but evidently it still suited their needs perfectly, and there was really no need to fix something that wasn't broken in the first place, was there?

Unfortunately, Haru had foreseen a long time ago that it was going to be next to impossible to attempt to explain that to her friends and family back in Japan. Besides, their relationship had happened so suddenly that she didn't know what she would say anyway, and so Haru nimbly nipped the problem in the bud by not mentioning it to anyone back home at all. It had worked quite well until now, where the problem had somehow grown to headache-inducing proportions and had flown over from Japan to Italy to bite her in the backside.

It was a split second decision that she had made, but Haru quickly decided to act normal. She wasn't about to cling to Belphegor and hope that her friends would just accept things as they were, but she wasn't going to pretend that there was nothing going on between them either. If Hayato and Tsuna found out, then she would come clean and tell the truth, but if they failed to notice what was going on, then it would be one less problem for her to handle.

Besides, it was not as if Belphegor would be thrilled to have an entire horde of the Vongola core members poking their very interested noses in his private affairs, and therefore Haru really could not think of any reason why the golden-haired Prince would object to her relatively simple plan of keeping their relationship low profile.

Hayato distracted her from her thoughts with his usual smart aleck-y remarks, and Haru promptly gave him a withering glare.

"Anyway, who else is here?" she asked the silver-haired man grumpily. "Yamato? Ryohei? Kyoko-chan?"

"It's only the Boss and I. This isn't a vacation, stupid woman."

She whacked him sharply on the back of his head this time, irritated.

"Quit calling me that!"

They were sniping at each other like a pair of unruly siblings, their reluctant camaraderie obvious in their comfortable interactions.

Hayato quit antagonizing Haru in favor of glancing askance at the golden-haired Varia standing in their midst. The older male was observing them with a quietly gathering air of annoyance around him, and Hayato was quickly reminded that it really wasn't a good idea to ignore the Varia executive if one could help it.

No matter what Tsuna said, Hayato still felt that it paid to be wary of the Varia. With the exception of Lussuria and perhaps Squalo, the rest of the Varia Commanders had only ever indicated bare tolerance or even downright indifference for their Vongola counterparts. They certainly weren't enemies anymore, but they weren't exactly one big happy family either.

Surprisingly enough, Haru seemed to have adapted quite well to life here. She was obviously healthy and well, and she hadn't looked mistreated or abused in any way. Judging by the strength of the wallop that she had packed to his poor, bruised head, she had definitely gotten even more violent in the last six months that he hadn't seen her.

It was as the woman had always insisted through the web conferences and phone conversations that she regularly exchanged with the various members of the Famiglia back in Japan; she had adjusted well in Italy and was perfectly alright, and that there really was nothing to worry about.

"Bel, would you mind terribly if we don't head down to the dungeons for the rest of today? I'd like to spend some time with Tsuna-kun and Hayato-no-baka here."

Haru was asking very nicely and so politely that for a brief moment, Belphegor only gave her a mildly disbelieving stare. The woman had never behaved this submissively and meekly around him before, not even on the first day when they were had been made to work together, and it was definitely suspicious now that she was being so modest and demure-like.

Then, he saw the neutral, pleasant, unnaturally shuttered expression on her face, and he immediately knew what she was up to. He stiffened imperceptibly with irritation.

"Yes, I would bloody mind," the Varia's Prince snapped rather ungraciously. "Stop that right now."

She was so startled by his harsh order that she had stared at him in surprise, but before Hayato could draw his own conclusions, Haru recovered hastily and quickly explained.

"I have mentioned this to Tsuna before; Belphegor is my assigned guide and protector here in the Varia. He…is the most familiar with me, out of all the others who reside in this castle." Haru quickly finished the last sentence before she completely lost the nerve to do so. It was the vaguest explanation that she could think of without lying outright, but still, she diligently avoided Bel's gaze.

Hayato huffed with quiet amusement, seemingly unaware of the undercurrent of tension floating around him.

"At least you were being looked after by one of Varia's Commanders," the silver-haired male acknowledged with a small smirk. "I feel sorry for Belphegor though; for us combat types, it is boring as hell babysitting you."

Before Haru could say a word to refute the Vongola Storm Guardian, Belphegor cut in with a sleek, shark-like grin.

"I don't mind. I was able to occupy myself with various interesting pursuits," the man remarked silkily with underlying meaning. Hayato did not necessarily understand what he was saying, but Haru clearly did. Her face promptly flooded with color, and she redoubled her efforts not to look at the golden-haired devil who happened to be her lover.

Hayato did not miss the abject look of embarrassment on Haru's face this time. He quirked his eyebrow. This was interesting. Obviously, whatever Belphegor had done had caused the brunette some fair amount of grief, and Hayato found his curiosity piqued.

"Oh? Do share. I find myself looking after this troublesome woman back at the home base more often than I'd like. Perhaps I'd try what you do next time."

Haru's eyes widened and she gaped at Hayato in disbelief. She risked a glance at her lover and was quickly alarmed to see that he was no longer amused.

For a brief moment, Belphegor looked blank. Then, he started to smile slowly, though it was by no means a friendly expression, even by his usual standards. He looked quite eerily pissed, actually, and even Hayato could see that. The poor man appeared mildly confused, not sure just what he had said or done to offend the other Storm Flame user.

"What I do with my charge is none of your business," the blonde replied at last, his tone surprisingly tempered and cool. His smile turned into a dangerous smirk. "In fact, I might have to kill you if you try it, Vongola Storm Guardian."

By now, Hayato had definitely gotten the inkling that something was afoot, though for the life of him, he couldn't comprehend what. The silver-haired man gave the Prince an odd look and shook his head inwardly when he further saw the surprised expression on Haru's face.

"You know what? I don't want to know," Hayato announced. He waved his hand idly in the air. "The truth will come out sooner or later anyway, and I just want to get this done and over with so that I can finally get some rest. I didn't get a wink of sleep on the whole damn trip from Japan to Italy. Come on; let's go wait for the Juudaime to finish his meeting."

He was starting to look quite grouchy too, but Haru wondered how much of it was only for pretense. Despite being irritating and idiotic most of the time, it was true that Hayato had rightfully earned his place as the Decimo's right hand man. He was more observant than he let on and had a razor sharp mind that missed little. Haru had no doubt that he at least suspected that something was up between herself and Belphegor, but the damage was already done.

Even though she was quite exasperated by how things were turning out, Haru had to admit that she felt a bit less tense now. It was a never nice feeling to deliberately deceive your comrades, after all.

As the trio continued down the hallway as a group, Haru could not help but spare a glance for Belphegor. She had somehow gotten sandwiched between the two men and since Hayato was walking slightly ahead, she saw no harm in trying to decipher the Prince's current state of being. The slight purse of Belphegor's lips indicated his annoyance with the situation, but he said nothing and appeared to be ignoring her for the moment, though she wondered about the small fuss he had made when she had attempted to gloss over their relationship with nonchalance.

Haru especially could not deny the small thrill that bolted through her at his mild display of possessiveness at Hayato's unwitting comment. He didn't tell her outright, but his actions showed that he did not intend to pretend that their relationship had never existed, though he certainly wasn't about to go around advertising it, either. Still, that was enough for Haru, and it warmed her heart to know that he had no intention to throw aside this yet unnamed thing they had between them and feign ignorance before her friends.

The affection she had for him in her heart was beginning to grow to unimaginable proportions, and right there and then, Haru had the most overwhelming urge to kiss him. Only the fact that Hayato was with them curbed her unusual impulse. A part of her wondered just when it was that Belphegor had started to affect her so deeply, and that same part warned that he now had the ability to hurt her deeply if he so chose. It was too late for her to do anything to change the course of matters, but perhaps it would be prudent for her not to remain so closely attached to the assassin Prince.

That was, if she could actually manage to keep away from him, _and if she even wanted to_.

They finally arrived at Xanxus' wing of the castle then, and were just in time to see a formally suited Tsuna walking out of the Varia Leader's office with Lussuria in tow.

Haru's eyes immediately lit up at seeing one of her most favorite people. The ten years or so worth of experience of throwing herself at this particular man quickly kicked into place, and before she knew it, the brunette was hurrying towards the head of the Vongola Famiglia, a happy cry of his name on her lips as she launched herself at him.

"Tsuna!"

The powerful Vongola Decimo was no longer the scrawny, scared child of the past. Although not as tall as any of his Guardians, Sawada Tsunayoshi had grown to become an exceptionally handsome man. His regal, reserved demeanor attracted attention no matter where he went, and there were speculations that he looked exactly like his most well known predecessor, the Vongola Primo.

Ten years ago, Tsuna would have cowered with alarm at the enthusiastic greeting, desperate to evade Haru's joyful tackle, but the Tsuna of the present merely gave the pretty brunette a small, genuine smile and easily caught her smaller frame in his arms. He returned her embrace fully.

"Haru, you look well," the Vongola leader greeted her with warm affection, his even, smooth voice calm and soothing to her ears. Tsuna drew back slightly from the beaming woman and ran his dark amber eyes over her carefully. Then he fingered her hair thoughtfully. "You grew out your hair. It looks good," he complimented with quiet sincerity.

Haru smiled, blushing slightly at his praise. She would have to be a robot not to feel flattered when someone as influential and as good looking as Sawada Tsunayoshi was praising her appearance.

"Thanks," she replied cheerfully. "You look quite spiffy yourself, Vongola X."

By the sideline, an amused Lussuria wondered if he was the only one who noticed the annoyance on Bel's face as he surveyed the evidently close friendship between Sawada Tsunayoshi and Haru-chan.

Haru-chan wasn't flirting with Tsunayoshi of course, but she was certainly being quite affectionate, and Lussuria would bet that wasn't sitting well with Belphegor at all. Oh, Bel was also definitely not going to like it when he learned of what the Decimo had been discussing with Xanxus earlier.

Standing beside the Storm Unit Commander of the Varia, Hayato spared the man a mildly disturbed look when he heard him growl in irritation. Hayato glanced between the Prince and Haru curiously, a small realization eventually dawning on him. It couldn't be that…

"Lussuria," Haru called out then. "You guys are done with the meeting?"

The colorful martial arts expert beamed at the young woman. "Yup, we just finished. You were the main focus of this meeting, actually."

Haru was definitely quite surprised to hear that. She looked to her leader for confirmation. "Eh? I was?"

Tsuna had finally let go of her by then, which was not a moment too soon as a quietly simmering Belphegor was seriously starting to contemplate cutting the man's overly touchy hands off. The dark-haired Decimo nodded.

"All of us missed you back home," Tsuna informed her gently. "You have been gone for a very long time, Haru. I understand that this is a huge, long-term project that you are involved in at the moment, but we have been looking for a way to allow you to work in Japan instead of here in Italy."

"We have consulted Shouichi and he has confirmed that it's possible for us to link up the servers over here to ours back at the home base without causing any breach in security," Tsuna continued. "You should encounter no problems altering the codes remotely back in Japan."

Haru stared at Tsuna in mild shock.

"So that means…"

"You can return home with us," he finished for her with a small smile. "I have just cleared it with Xanxus—they have no objections on this side as long as the project is successfully completed in the end."

She could go home. She could work back at the Japanese home base and be near her close friends and family again, no longer closed off from the rest of the world in this huge drafty castle in Italy, with only a bunch of powerful, eccentric assassins as companions and a perverted, short-tempered Prince for a lover…

If she thought of her current situation that way, it was a no brainer to determine what she would choose.

And it was rather evident by the look in her eyes that she had missed her homeland dearly despite the upbeat and generally sunny nature that she had typically shown during her stay in Italy. He was certain that she would definitely grab this chance to fly back to her country and be amongst her Famiglia, basking in their warmth and companionship, and the image that he formed in his mind was so sickeningly, disgustingly blissful and idyllic that it made him want to go out and kill something right away.

Worse of all, it hinted that she was willing to leave him and that simply would not do. He was not done with her yet, not by a long shot, and if she thought that she was going anywhere without him, then she had better think again. Quickly.

"So?" Tsuna enquired, gazing affectionately at this young woman who was one of his important people, who had always shown such unwavering support for him through the years. The Tenth placed his hands on her shoulders. "If you are in agreement, we will start making the arrangements right away."

It was at the tip of Haru's tongue to say yes but when she opened her mouth to agree, nothing came out. A funny look crossed her face. Despite her apparent eagerness to return home, she seemed to be hesitating, and the reason for her indecisiveness happened to be glowering right behind her. Haru was astonished to realize that the thought of parting with Belphegor left her strangely anxious and reluctant, and she shook herself inwardly to clear her unexpected feelings.

This was not the time to be conflicted over her feelings! Her leader had come all the way to Italy, offering her a means to return with him to the Famiglia, and every shred of common sense she had told her that she should take it. So why was she hesitating? Haru resolutely pushed away the warm and tender feelings that she had recently began to get whenever she thought of Belphegor and started to nod her head in acquiesce of Tsuna's plan. Her earlier indecisiveness ensured that she was just a bit too late though, for her golden-haired lover decided to speak up at that exact moment.

"The two of you have come for nothing, Vongola Famiglia. The mother of my unborn child is not going anywhere."

_

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

It's kinda too late to say this now, but Cliffhanger Alert! Most of you are probably not sure what had happened in the last portion of this chapter, but I assure all of you that everything will become clearer in the next installment. For now, well, it seems like Belphegor is going to be a daddy soon, eh? I don't know about you, but trying to imagine our favorite assassin Prince as a responsible parent made me burst into uncontrollable laughter. I can just imagine an aghast Haru in the background already.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Well, some of you have asked at one time or another of the reaction of the Vongola Famiglia regarding Haru's relationship with Belphegor, but as you can see now, there are none because they have been more or less kept in the dark about the entire affair. Not for long, obviously. Hayato and Tsuna are going to be in for one big surprise come the next chapter!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

As always, thanks for reading and reviewing, ladies! You know I love reading all your wonderful feedback!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	26. Chapter 26

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5031

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 14/08/10

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**Chapter Twenty Six**

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Belphegor's calm, all too casual remark quickly ensured chaos of the most unimaginable proportions.

The two Japanese Vongola gawked in incredulous surprise at Haru, whereas the brunette in turn gaped at the slightly smirking features of her devilish lover. Then, Tsuna and Hayato were promptly scrutinizing her flat belly with disbelief, almost as if they were expecting her to be popping out little maniacal, blade-wielding, golden-haired babies right away.

Haru spluttered.

Lussuria seemed to be the only one to recover superbly from the bombshell that Belphegor had just dropped on them all. The man clapped his hands together and looked quite happy. "Oh? You are pregnant, Haru-chan? This is such wonderful news!"

"H-Haru?" even the normally reserved Tsuna stammered slightly in surprise, waiting for her confirmation. Belphegor strolled up to his woman then and pulled her possessively away from the Decimo. He shot the stunned man a glare for good measure too, silently but effectively declaring his sole ownership of her.

Hayato just started to laugh. Obnoxiously. Loudly. Evidently, the silver-haired man found it hilarious as hell that the sharp-tongued she-devil was in a relationship with the other crazy maniac he knew. The devil would sell his soul to have their children, little terrors that they would most definitely turn out to be.

And he had initially thought that he was only just imagining things!

As the sounds of Hayato's amusement grew in crescendo behind them, Haru quickly snapped out of her shock induced stupor to give Belphegor a fierce glare. She was also trying to shake off his hold but he was not letting go, unfortunately.

"I'm not pregnant!" she tried to yell out in denial at last, greatly offended, only for her voice to escape in a shrill squeak. Haru was certainly being overcome by the situation.

The Crown Prince sneered down at her. "So you say," he scoffed.

Okay, all the warm and tender feelings she had for him had officially evaporated into thin air by now. Haru had the most powerful urge to strangle Belphegor right at that moment. How could he just say something like that and let Tsuna and Hayato jump to all the wrong conclusions?

"So I know!" she snapped uncontrollably at him, unable to curb her growing temper. "Belphegor, you tell them the truth right now! I'm not pregnant with your baby! I'm not pregnant at all!"

The blonde merely gave her a look, cool as an iceberg. There she was fuming away, and how could he act so nonchalant while he was so merrily besmirching her reputation?

"You are saying that only because you haven't seen the medical report that the ward just sent over," Belphegor fibbed smoothly. Haru gawked at him, stiff with shock, the fire in her eyes dying down quickly as she recognized the small probability of her conceiving. She and Belphegor had gone at it like rabbits after all…

"You are lying," she still muttered mulishly. "I was on the pill the entire time!"

That was enough proof for the Vongola Decimo. He narrowed his eyes at the Storm Unit Commander, protective of his friend.

"So it's true. The two of you are in a relationship," the Tenth confirmed, determined to set things right if need be.

"No!" Haru denied peevishly.

"Yes," Belphegor affirmed at the same time. He ignored the glare that she was directing at him and merely shrugged gracefully, unflappably at the Decimo. "Don't mind her; she's just throwing a temper tantrum because she's going to be too fat to fit into a wedding gown in a few months' time."

Haru could barely emit a strangled squawk of outrage by then, and in the background, Hayato's infernal howling provided a nice counterpoint to the heartfelt cries of congratulations from Lussuria. Tsuna glanced at the poor brunette. She looked so overwhelmed by it all. The Juudaime promptly decided that perhaps it would be a good idea to have all the facts checked out first before jumping to any wrong conclusions.

Belphegor seemed to realize that he was not completely fooling the other man despite his award winning performance. And so he quickly found a way out before Tsuna could call his bluff.

"We will continue this later. The mother of my future heir is apparently overwrought and needs to calm down. Lussuria will be happy to answer any questions that you have. Excuse me, gentlemen."

And with that smooth pretext, he turned and exited the waiting area, leaving the two bewildered Vongola with his fellow Commander, dragging a protesting Haru right behind him.

He didn't slow down until they were back in his wing of the castle, and he let her go only when they reached the bedroom. Haru looked up at Belphegor then, her eyes wide as she asked for confirmation one more time, the look of shock slow to fade from her pale features.

"Is it true?" she demanded, her voice hushed. "Am I really…pregnant?"

As she asked the last question, the stunned expression on her face started to change gradually as reality set in. Her eyes slowly grew soft with quiet wonder as she looked down on her flat belly, her hands coming up to press lightly against her middle as she contemplated the possibility of a pregnancy. A surprising flood of excitement and protectiveness quickly followed as it finally occurred to her that she could have her own child, and that he or she might just be growing within her right at this moment.

She had certainly not planned or expected something like this to happen. She had taken her pills religiously ever since she had embarked on this relationship with Belphegor and had certainly never thought of having a child with the golden-haired assassin of the Varia. For one, their relationship wasn't exactly a stable one; they weren't courting or even pledged to one another. They were just with each other because somehow, they had fitted well together, and that was that.

Besides, Haru could hardly contemplate Bel as a responsible father, let alone even want to create an offspring with him, but _now_, now that he had planted that possibility into her head, it wasn't difficult for her to picture herself caring for a little blonde child who looked just like his father had been when he was young, only this time there would be part of her in him, too. He would belong to her as well, and the part of her that simply adored children, that had quietly missed the solemn, adorable little boy Prince when he had gone back to the past so abruptly, all but melted at the notion of being able to see one like him again, that she just might have a little doppelganger growing right within her now, at this very moment.

Perhaps it wasn't such terrible news after all, to know that she was pregnant with Belphegor's offspring.

He watched her eyes soften with warmth and tenderness as she contemplated her flat stomach, the maternal protectiveness all too clear in her now quiet, gentle gaze. It wasn't hard to see that she had accepted what he had told her as truth, that she had easily believed his word. She trusted too easily, but on the other hand, also adapted quickly to new situations, and that had made her a suitable member of the Famiglia.

She looked at him then, an indescribable expression of wonder and joy and excitement painted on her face, and he started to grow agitated. He had expected her to be upset and unhappy with the news of the pregnancy, not the other way around. How was he supposed to tell her that he had lied through his teeth now when she had that look of sweet expectation on her face and would most likely give him that wounded expression when he told her the truth?

"Bel?" she asked hesitantly, and he instantly snapped his gaze back to her.

"You are staying here," he demanded sharply of her then. He had not forgotten the purpose of this entire fiasco, and was determined to extract a promise from her before anything else could be said and done. She would be most angry once she found out the truth, but he would have his way no matter what form of trickery he had to use.

Damn those troublesome, meddling Vongola; he would have been perfectly satisfied with the way things were going if they had never stepped foot in this castle.

She blinked at him, surprised by his abrupt change in subject.

"Huh? But what about-"

He stepped towards her, crowding her, invading her personal space.

"You are staying here in Italy," he ordered once more, intent on securing her agreement. "You are not leaving."

He would not let her go.

It wasn't a plea that he had made. It was an outright command and it went without speaking that she was going to catch hell from him if she did not obey it unquestioningly.

She stared at him with her brow furrowed.

"Is this about the pregnancy?" she asked at last, placing her hands on her hips. "You just want me to stay here because I'm carrying your child."

It would have been a lot easier to let her think that way if that was true. At least, he wouldn't be feeling like an utter moron right now. He scowled. The damn woman was going to be the death of him, and of course, she was completely oblivious as usual. For her, he had made so many exceptions that he had long since run out of excuses to justify for himself just why exactly he was doing things he normally wouldn't bother with in other circumstances, and fortunately for her, his initial frustration over his apparent weakness for her had also since simmered down to a mild irritation.

"No," he bit out at last. "You will stay because you belong to me."

He sounded quite annoyed because she had to force him to spell it out for her, whereas Haru merely gave him a long, inscrutable look, almost as if trying to judge if he was speaking the truth. Her reaction was pretty strange in itself, but he had long since given up on trying to interpret her many little moods. Still, it was not hard to note that she was normally quite vocal in her objections to his claiming ownership of her, but this time around, she made no protests, merely looked down at the floor, almost as if suddenly fascinated by the designs woven into the carpets.

"I will stay," she replied softly at last, and the tension within him instantly uncoiled at her firm, quiet promise. He had no way of knowing what had made her decide to agree with him this time around, but for now, her simple answer was more than enough to quell the restlessness roiling within him.

Haru raised her head to look at her lover, cocking her head slightly as she observed his reaction. He looked less agitated now, and more settled.

"What are your feelings on my pregnancy?" she asked outright, not in the mood to beat around the bush. He had given no indication so far of his thoughts on the matter, and had been more interested in ensuring that she remained where he wanted her to than to worry over the unplanned conception of his yet unborn child. It made Haru feel strangely nervous to think of her lover's opinion on this matter. What if he disapproved? What if he wanted to get rid of the baby?

Even though she had only recently learned of her pregnancy, Haru quickly realized that she would fight tooth and nail before she would allow anyone to take away the small seed of life that was growing within her, Belphegor included. The fierce flare of maternal protectiveness that had been invoked the very moment the possibility of her carrying a baby was made known to her would allow nothing less. She would even call upon the protection of Tsuna and the rest of the Famiglia if she had to, so it would be reassuring if the father of her unborn child proved at least to be agreeable to this pregnancy. He had appeared more or less neutral so far—

The man in question snorted softly then, interrupting the disjointed process of her jumbled up thoughts. "I will cross that bridge when you do get pregnant."

It took Haru a brief moment to understand what he was saying.

Her eyes slowly turned wide.

"You mean I'm not…?" she asked in a whisper, not sure what to believe now.

He looked at her silently from under his tousled blonde fringe. Then he nodded.

Haru stared at him blankly. So…she was not pregnant?

…she had been tricked? He had…lied to her?

"You…_lied_ to me?"

He wondered if she understood that he could construe the crestfallen expression on her face in many different ways, the most notable one being that she was actually disappointed that she was not pregnant after all—with his child.

The unexpected notion was enough to startle the usually unflappable blonde, but before he could think anything of it she recovered with admirable speed, her honey brown eyes narrowing with growing anger and feminine outrage. As he had predicted, she was none too pleased with his deception and it showed in the fierce fire that lit up her gaze.

"You bastard! How could you lie about something like that?" She was yelling angrily at him, hardly appreciating the emotional roller coaster ride that he had thrown her on with his unthinking actions. She was not sure whether to be relieved or upset that she wasn't with child after all, and that only added fuel to her agitation at being deliberately misled.

He was silent for a brief moment. Then, he opened his mouth to speak.

"That's a rather misappropriate insult you are befitting me with," the blonde drawled calmly at last, much to her momentary confusion. "I assure you that my parents were quite legally married by the time I was born-"

She cut his nonsensical ramblings off with a small shriek of frustration.

"Don't change the subject!" She stormed right up to him and proceeded to poke him sharply in the chest. "You can't say this kind of things just for the fun of it! I really thought that I was-"

She was within his reach by then and he saw no reason not to place his hands on her hips to pull her even closer, drastically reducing her attack range to nothingness. The righteous anger in her eyes faltered momentarily at his distracting action, but then she seemed to recompose herself and glared furiously at him again. He brought his face so near to her that their noses were nearly touching.

"I know precisely what you thought. I didn't lie," he informed her with the cool, calculated cunning worthy of a fox. "At which point of time have you heard me proclaim your pregnancy?"

She paused at that, even though her mouth was already open, ready to answer, only to realize that he had been speaking the truth. He had certainly not outright announced that she was with child, merely dropped a few false suggestions here and there and then craftily allowed everyone else to draw their own conclusions.

He had announced that she was the mother of his unborn child, but he hadn't exactly said just _when_ she would conceive said unborn child, had he?

The resulting growl that emanated from her when she finally realized his trickery sounded surprisingly sexy to his ears, and suddenly, Belphegor wasn't quite as interested in the conversation anymore. His arms came around her middle to pull her up close against him, and then his lips were brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear and his hands were delving lazily under her clothes. His actions were extremely effective in derailing her murderous thoughts. She protested immediately, trying to squirm out of his grasp.

"If you want a kid that badly, we should practice more often," he murmured huskily against her ear, and she shuddered involuntarily in response. The combination of his velvety voice and intimate touches was her weakness and he knew exactly how to use it against her. She quickly remembered that she was supposed to be very angry with him though, and tried to pry him off of her.

"Belphegor, we are not done with this conversation yet," she hissed stubbornly even though her face was flushed and her breathing was starting to hitch. "And by the way, I don't think you should be allowed to contribute to the gene pool, so quit molesting me, you madman."

She was gritting her teeth and sounded quite disgruntled as she said that, but he merely chuckled richly in response.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm the only sperm donor you will receive, and I have every right to touch you wherever I want," he bantered back lazily. The conversation topic was so swiftly getting out of hand that Haru was feeling quite uncomfortable talking about it. He wasn't reacting like most men would, and did not appear particularly mortified by this strange discussion of baby making. Most unsettling was the unspoken insinuation that he would certainly not mind fathering her children. _That_ greatly disconcerted Haru as it clearly went against the insane, dangerous, blade wielding Varia assassin image of him that she had painted in her mind, and now Haru didn't know what to think at all.

If she had only remembered that he was the last of his line and was therefore constantly badgered by the royal advisors of his country to produce an heir and establish his nursery, then she would not be as stumped by his easy agreement when it came to securing possible offspring and future progenies from her.

Producing an heir was an important part of his duty as Crown Prince to ensure the continuation of his Royal blood, and it was something that had been drilled into his head for as long as he could remember, that he had been made mentally prepared for since he was old enough to understand. He had certainly not looked forward to it when he was younger and much wilder, eager to experience the world and do whatever he pleased without the stifling rules and restrictions that the name of his highborn family carried with it.

If someone was to ask him two years ago if he was willing to settle down some and start fulfilling his paternal duties as was expected of him, he would have quite gladly stabbed the person stupid enough to ask such a foolish question. There had been no woman who had stirred his interest enough to attract his attention and why on earth would he even want to tie himself down when there were many other better things that he could be doing?

Then of course, Haru had came along, blundering into his life and causing chaos in her usual annoyingly oblivious fashion, and for some reason he could not fathom (he must be blind, deaf _and_ delusional), she had somehow appealed to him on an instinctual, intimate level. Out of all the other women he had ever known, she just had to be the one; this slight Japanese woman who was admittedly intelligent but not very powerful, had no qualms yelling his ears off and/or trying to hit him with her feeble attacks, and didn't really have much of a figure to speak of. He was really an idiot.

But he could not deny that she would make a good mother. Her unabashed love for children and the fierce, protective, maternal instincts that he had experienced for himself when he was in her care in his child form quickly proved her suitability to be a mother. The fact that he constantly desired to keep her in bed with him was also an advantage if he intended to impregnate her eventually. Last but not least, the most recent events with the Japanese Vongola had confirmed that he would not tolerate her being taken away from him, and that had merely sealed the deal for the golden-haired Crown Prince.

Since he was already so possessive of her, he might as well get something tangible out of their close bond.

But of course Haru knew nothing of his thoughts and future intentions, and therefore could only conclude that he was up to his usual mischief again. It hurt to think that he was only fooling around with her, especially when it had always been her secret dream to marry a nice man and start a family of her own, only she had somehow gotten herself all tangled up with a sardonic assassin Prince and she wasn't quite sure how on earth she was supposed to fulfill that dream now that her situation was so.

And worst of all, she was going to have to deal with Tsuna and Hayato's questions later. Oh joy.

"You shouldn't have lied to Tsuna and Hayato," she muttered stubbornly then, changing the topic. "There was no need for you to say such things."

Oh, there was definitely a need to keep the other Vongola males away from her, but she wouldn't understand.

"I think you are in need of a hearing aid, little sparrow. I will say this once more," he told her silkily, hooking a finger under her chin and tilting her head back to look her in the face. The callused pad of his thumb rubbed against the softness of her lips in a slow, utterly erotic manner that took her breath away. She stilled momentarily, her eyes captured by his enigmatic gaze.

He smiled a smug, secretive smile.

"I didn't lie."

* * *

"Well, that was…unexpected," the Vongola X remarked with cautious tactfulness after Haru had left with the Prince Belphegor. Coming up beside him, Hayato was still cackling away, a most unusual act for one who was usually quite image conscious. His chuckles did taper off eventually to be replaced by a less vocal, but no less amused, smirk.

"Heh, wait till the rest back in Japan hear of this," the silver-haired right hand man of the Juudaime chortled merrily. "There's no way in hell they are going to believe this. I totally called it though! The two of them had been acting stranger than usual to be normal!"

It appeared that Hayato was more interested in the entertainment value of what they had just learned than to try to figure out what the hell was really going on, and exasperated, Tsuna turned to the next likely source of information.

"Lussuria-san, how long have Haru and Belphegor-san been together?" the Decimo enquired curiously.

The cooing martial artist beamed at the younger man. "Oho! You should have seen the both of them at the very beginning, Tsuna-kun! The sexual tension between Bel and Haru-chan was so thick I think I could easily cut it with a knife! It was wonderful to see someone who could affect Bel like that!"

The romantic Lussuria clasped his hands together by the side of his face and assumed a ridiculously sissy pose.

"They are in love!"

At the age of twenty-four, Tsuna was too well trained by Reborn in etiquette and manners to show too much of what he really thought of the absurd statement, but it was certainly strange to hear about Haru's private business like this. Beside him, Hayato was barely maintaining a straight face, but at least he had quit sniggering.

Besides, Haru had looked more murderous than in love when Belphegor had dragged her out of the room, and in hindsight, perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to be hoping for an impartial answer from the romantically inclined Sun Varia.

"I don't know about the in love part," the Gokudera commented at last with badly concealed humor. "But the stupid woman looked fit to be tied when Belphegor carted her off."

Lussuria waved his hand in the air, unconcerned. "That's the adorable part!" the grown man replied with enthusiasm. "That's how they show their affection for each other; isn't that utterly sweet?"

Hayato could not keep it in any more. He started to laugh again, albeit softly this time.

"And oh, oh oh! Guess what, Vongola-kun?" the assassin continued to ask quite merrily. Before Tsuna could acknowledge him out of politeness, Lussuria answered his own question. "This means that we are going to be in-laws! And godparents! Wait till Xanxus hears of this!"

…No, Tsuna really didn't think he wanted to stick around to see how his Varia counterpart would react when he learned that his Storm Unit Commander had possibly gone and knocked up a member of the Vongola Famiglia. Also, the notion of the Varia and the Vongola being remotely related through an alliance like this brought a strange look to the Decimo's face.

The poor man appeared somewhat bewildered. None of Reborn's extreme teachings had ever prepared him for something like this!

"Wait, Lussuria-san," Tsuna cautioned the man before he could dance his way back into Xanxus' study room to share the 'good tidings.' "Perhaps we should wait for Haru and Belphegor-san to return first before making such announcements?"

The man paused, and then beamed again. "Why, you are absolutely right, Tsuna-kun! I'm sure Bel and Haru-chan would want to relay the good news to Xanxus themselves!"

The way Lussuria was going on about his esteemed leader, one would think that the latter was some benevolent fairy godmother or something of that sort, not the short tempered and utterly violent man he really was.

Tsuna stared at the shamelessly posing man. Even Hayato quit snickering to give the older male a disbelieving look. Lussuria, on the other hand, merely gave off an impression that implied he was quite pleased with himself.

The Juudaime at last schooled his features into something that was vaguely polite, the sort of expression that one would present to an extremely eccentric (or crazy) relative that one had no choice but to be courteous to. Evidently, that was enough for Lussuria, for the man promptly busied himself with one-sided discussions of the excitement the Famiglia was going to face in times ahead, of weddings and baby showers and—

Hayato snorted quietly at that, hard pressed not to laugh again. He did glance over to his chagrinned looking boss, though.

"So we wait?" Despite his outward display of mirth, there was no further hint of amusement from the Vongola Storm Guardian.

Tsuna nodded. "There's not much else that we can do at this moment," the other man agreed quietly. "We will wait and see for now."

"And if it turns out that Haru is quite content to remain here?" Hayato pressed curiously.

Tsuna appeared thoughtful for a moment.

It was the truth that they had come to Italy to bring their friend back to Japan, where she had been missed by the rest of the Family. They had never thought that the cheerful, enthusiastic woman would develop strong bonds here amongst the Varia, which now, in hindsight, seemed like a very foolish thing to expect. Haru had _always_ been a people person, and she positively thrived on human interaction. The blind assumption that she would have kept to herself when abruptly plunked in the middle of a foreign country and amongst some of the world's deadliest assassins did seemed kind of silly now that Tsuna had taken her personality in consideration.

The news that Haru was indeed in some sort of relationship with the Varia's resident maniac Prince had taken awhile to fully register, and even then Tsuna found himself quite bemused. They were a truly unconventional pair, and no one would have thought that Haru would be with someone as…_eccentric_ as Belphegor, especially not after she had spent years chasing after the Vongola X, teasingly declaring to the world that she would become his wife yet.

Only she was more likely to become the Princess Consort of a Crown Prince now than a wife of a Mafia Boss, judging by Belphegor's not so discrete remarks and the sheer possessiveness the blonde had shown towards her.

…Besides, her cheerful, laughing proclamations to be Tsuna's bride had gradually turned into something of a running gag within the Famiglia over the years, and Haru had not seemed to mind it very much.

Tsuna was aware then, even if Haru did not know it herself, that she had probably gotten over her childhood crush on him a long time ago.

"If she is happy here," the Juudaime replied decisively at last, "then she should be allowed to do what she wishes. We will respect her decisions."

As the leader of the Vongola Famiglia, Tsuna had only ever wanted the best for his members. If he could confirm that Haru was indeed content to remain in Italy, then he would not stand in the way of her happiness.

That was, of course, provided that she was in safe hands and would remain well protected from harm. Belphegor was powerful both in terms of abilities and social status, and he would be a good match for Haru if Tsuna could ascertain that the somewhat…_temperamental_ Prince truly intended to form a genuine relationship with Haru

…Judging by how Belphegor had all but implied that he had gotten Haru pregnant, Tsuna hoped for the sake of the other man's wellbeing that he would take responsibility. Otherwise, it would be difficult to have to explain to Xanxus just why he had to 'whoop the ass' of one of his Commanders, as Ryohei would say, but regardless, it would be a completely necessary evil.

No one took advantage of a member of his Famiglia without answering retaliation from him and/or the other Guardians, so Tsuna dearly hoped that Belphegor was really the genius he was touted to be and would make a smart call of judgment for himself.

If not, well, the Juudaime of the Vongola Famiglia was sure that he could show the Crown Prince the error of his ways, even if he had to beat the latter like a drum for it to happen.

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Yes, like most of you have already more or less guessed it, Belphegor was lying about Haru being pregnant. Or rather, he just twisted his words around a little and let everyone draw their own conclusions, haha. It was a rather juvenile thing for him to do, but Haru's closeness with Tsuna had irritated him something fierce and that was his payback of sorts.

In hindsight, I don't feel that he was really lying though, just being somewhat overly presumptuous, if you know what I mean!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Some of you have rather logically and cleverly pointed out that Haru was unlikely to be pregnant because I have mentioned before that she was on the pill, and have even carried on to deduce that this meant there should be no possibility of a pregnant Haru appearing in this fic. Well, the latter is a slightly inaccurate assumption that I will address now.

To be honest, my original intention of introducing contraception was to make sure that there will be no accidental surprises of the infant kind in the course of Belphegor and Haru's rather active sex lives. However, that is not to say that this situation is irreversible. I'm not declaring or promising anything here, but as their relationship progresses, things _may_ change.

What I'm saying is that there will be absolutely _no_ unwanted pregnancies cropping up in this fic. If and when Haru conceives, you can be sure that at least one of the happy (or smug) parents-to-be had planned it!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I know that Haru in this chapter should feel a lot angrier at being deceived by Belphegor, but do keep in mind that she had just discovered some rather startling revelations of herself prior to his revealing the truth to her, most notably that she had just realized that she wouldn't mind carrying his offspring, that she would have been quite happy to do so, actually. We know that Haru adores children, so it was not too far a leap to conclude that she would have been perfectly content to have children with the man she loves, even if said inconsiderate man had sprung the idea on her in a rather sudden and quite unpleasant manner.

Not to mention, she was also quite disconcerted by how her lover certainly wasn't cringing away at the notion of baby making, and I have my own reasons for that as well, mainly that Belphegor had been raised from the cradle to be mindful of his duties to his country and royal house, one of which is to be fruitful and multiply.

And what better way to accomplish that than to do it with a woman who would clearly love to have lots of children, I ask you?

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, I have had quite a few curious reviewers who were still trying to figure out why I have labeled 'Of Sparrows and Princes' as a one-shot collection. Well, I feel that this is technically a one shot collection, albeit one in which the various chapters are closely related to the next and are all in chronological order. I'm not sure if some of you have noticed that I have little mini-arcs spread across this entire fic, and since there's a bit of disjointedness between the arcs sometimes, I decided to put this fic as a one-shot collection and leave it as that.

Or I suppose we can also call this a one-shot continuous fic, which sounds kinda oxymoronish and strange, but that's just me nitpicking as usual. There you have it; I'm actually a closet obsessive compulsive nitpicker, or at least I try to be when I'm writing, and please forgive my ramblings because I really shouldn't be writing lengthy author's notes at three in the morning.

That aside, thanks for reading everything, people! As usual, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	27. Chapter 27

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5052

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 21/08/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

* * *

As it turned out, no beating of any sort was involved in the end.

"I made a mistake." The golden-haired Varia smirked in an irritably cocky fashion when finally confronted hours later. The Vongola X frowned slightly. Had he meant that he had made a mistake in impregnating Haru? Did that mean he had no intention to take up his responsibilities to her? If so, then the man had another thing coming.

Then, Belphegor added to his misleading statement.

"She's not pregnant," he continued carelessly, his lips curving further with unhidden glee at the other male's barely veiled annoyance. For someone who had learned social niceties the hard way via aversion therapy at the loving hands of Reborn, the mild expression of displeasure on the Decimo's face definitely meant something more. With a distinctly unpleasant intention to prod the temper of the cool headed Sawada Tsunayoshi further, the Prince grinned antagonistically at him.

"_Yet_."

The Juudaime could tell that the older male was actively trying to get him riled up, and so, with sheer force of will, he visibly quelled his rising irritation. The assassin Prince was deliberately behaving like an irresponsible jackass but only an idiot would think that the former really possessed such a juvenile character. Prince Belphegor of the Varia Storm troops did not earn the title of 'Genius' by acting like a petulant child who could not even control his wayward emotions. It was definitely a tactic to agitate and/or fluster his enemies (or the people around him), and that was one trap that Tsuna was careful not to fall into.

The Tenth leveled a cool, unruffled stare at the other man. They were alone at the moment, and Hayato would see to it that Haru would remain occupied until this conversation was over and they had matters straightened out. It had been hours since Belphegor had dragged Haru off from Xanxus' waiting room, though the moment the pair reappeared for dinner, the Japanese Vongola had sprung their simple plan into action, separating the two and handling them individually.

It was the textbook perfect strategy of divide and conquer, only Belphegor didn't look quite keen on cooperating. That wasn't very surprising, though. Being the way that he was, Belphegor had some _issues_ with authority, nothing as bad as Xanxus' condition of course, but it made him quite…temperamental when placed in situations that put him with any random fellow with any sort of leadership position.

Tsuna was not about to give up that easily though. He was taught better by Reborn than to do any such thing, and besides, he couldn't possibly leave matters as they were right now. Straightening gracefully, Tsuna crossed his arms against his chest and narrowed his eyes imperceptibly.

"Belphegor-san," the Tenth's voice was clear, calm and betrayed none of his growing annoyance, "if I cannot ascertain your suitability to become Haru's protector, I will remove her from Italy and take her back to Japan with me."

It wasn't a threat. No, it was a promise.

Belphegor was not intimidated, however. The blonde chuckled.

"You speak as though she's a helpless child who is incapable of making her own decisions."

The Prince's tone was mildly scornful, but mostly filled with derisive amusement. The golden-haired assassin tilted his head slightly towards the woman in question, currently being kept away from him by the long suffering Vongola Storm Guardian. At the other end of the dining hall, Gokudera Hayato had his hands full keeping Haru occupied, and could be seen bickering exasperatedly with the brunette even as she scowled at him and generally tried her best to make life unpleasant for her difficult childhood friend/rival.

She most definitely did not look like a woman in need of rescuing.

Tsuna turned his attention back to Belphegor.

"Haru is capable of making her own decisions, and I have no intention of interfering whatsoever," the Vongola X corrected evenly. "However, as her Boss, I have every right to pull her out of a dangerous situation and see that she does not come to harm of any sort. That is my privilege as the Tenth."

His regal, golden brown eyes bore straight into the Prince's carefully concealed gaze.

"You deliberately misled us with the clever play of your words and cunning wit, making use of the resulting mayhem and chaos to conceal your true motives. Like now, you insinuated but then subsequently rejected the news of Haru's supposed pregnancy based on your whims alone. How can I be sure that you are not deceiving her thusly as well?" Tsuna calmly listed out his concerns in a non-hostile, non-threatening manner. "How can I, with a clear conscience, leave a member of my Family here alone with someone who says one thing but means something else?"

Unfortunately, the quietly impassioned speech that the Vongola X had just delivered for his ears only did not particularly impress Belphegor. Sawada Tsunayoshi was years too young if he was hoping to successfully guilt trip the assassin Prince. Belphegor arched a brow, not that Tsuna could see it, of course.

"You are behaving like an outraged father," the blonde commented idly at last, almost as if he hadn't paid any attention to what Tsuna had said. The latter merely gave him a flat stare, not even sputtering or denying his snide observation.

"Since Miura-san cannot be here, I will take over the responsibility of watching out for his only child," Tsuna replied with unruffled tranquility, though he eyed Belphegor with a piercing stare.

It began to occur to the disgruntled Prince that the Vongola Boss was not going to let the matter go gracefully, and that the Japanese Vongola were unlikely to leave until Tsunayoshi was satisfied that Haru was in good hands.

Belphegor was not thrilled with the conclusion that the above two facts had forced him to draw, and the growing look of irritation on his face spoke as much.

"Believe what you will, but she's not pregnant," he repeated at last. "If she was, you wouldn't be hearing it from me. You would be reading it in the bloody newspapers. My publicity team would be all over it, and my royal advisors would be weeping tears of joy for my contributing something tangible back to my country for once."

The blonde continued. "You asked if she will be taken care of, didn't you? When she does carry my heir, she'll have an entire damn country dotingly at her beck and call. Satisfied now, Vongola?"

For a long moment, Tsuna watched the aggravated Prince wordlessly. The former had not missed the way Belphegor spoke as if it was only a matter of time before Haru would get pregnant with his child. He asked quietly.

"And what about you, Prince Belphegor? Will you take responsibility? Or is our Haru just a plaything for you to toy with?"

Belphegor gritted his teeth. He did not like the precarious position he had just been deftly maneuvered into. The death glare that he promptly shot at the Decimo was injected with unadulterated killing intent, but Tsuna shrugged it off like it was of little consequence.

"Didn't you hear the part where my countrymen will be utterly thrilled to indulge in her every whim?" the blonde snapped. "All the riches she'd ever need in ten lifetimes; she will have the best of everything she desires."

Tsuna stared steadily at the Prince.

"If you know Haru well enough, then you will understand that fiscal gains do not interest her overly much. If that's all you are willing to offer her, she will slip away from you before you even know it."

Belphegor did not appreciate what the Japanese Vongola was trying to say.

He gave the other male a tight, jagged grin. "She is not going anywhere without my say so," the Storm Unit Commander enunciated coldly.

The Decimo tilted his head slightly at the vicious expression of possessiveness on the other man's face, or rather, what was visible of it.

"You don't see her as a plaything then." It was a statement of fact, borne from the keen observation of the blonde's agitated features.

Belphegor scowled at the younger man.

"Why would I want to keep her if I can easily replace her with any random woman?" the blonde spat out caustically, answering his question in a roundabout manner that would hopefully put him in a less damning light. The fact that Tsunayoshi was looking at him with those overly perceptive, _hyper_ _intuitive_ eyes of his only served to irritate Belphegor further.

There and then, Tsuna wondered if Belphegor even knew the reason behind his covetousness of Haru. Judging by the angry, frustrated expression of the volatile blonde, he doubted it.

But with Belphegor's surly reply, Tsuna's concerns were finally laid to rest. The assassin Prince was definitely not the first choice he would pick as a partner for Haru, and he would never have thought that his cheerful, lively friend would somehow end up with an overly possessive, violent, and somewhat maniacal Varia for a lover, but there was no denying that Haru did look happy. That was enough to quell the rest of the Juudaime's disconcertment when it came to this particular member of his family, and Tsuna decided to quit antagonizing Belphegor.

"Very well," the Tenth backed off gracefully, the sharpness in his gaze disappearing as abruptly as it appeared. Sawada Tsunayoshi was much more dangerous than the average person could perceive, Belphegor decided with grim amusement. Hiding behind that placid and serene façade was a ferocious sleeping dragon that would awaken at the slightest hint of threat towards his Famiglia.

"I will give you the benefit of doubt, Prince Belphegor," the younger man acknowledged, signaling the end of this conversation. It was testament to the Vongola Storm Guardian's dedication to his Boss that the former quickly saw and correctly read the near imperceptible shift of the Decimo's body language, understanding that he no longer had to keep Haru at bay. Within moments, the brunette and her annoyed-looking tagalong materialized in their midst, with Haru looking worriedly between Tsuna and Belphegor whereas Hayato merely fell into place by his Boss.

"Is everything okay, Tsuna?" she asked her leader cautiously. "Belphegor didn't attempt anything with you, did he?"

Despite having witnessed Tsuna's impressive battle prowess again and again through the years, it was still a hard habit for her to break when it came to coddling and trying to protect him from people who could potentially take advantage of him. And Belphegor, for all his status as her lover, was definitely an individual cunning enough to take advantage of Tsuna's kindness.

The blonde in question curled his upper lip with distaste, naturally not liking how the woman, _his woman_, was fawning over the Vongola X. "If anything, the truth is more the other way around," the Prince grumbled under his breath, briefly recalling an incident a few months ago where Haru had passionately defended her Decimo's good points to his disinterested self. "Innocent and gullible my ass."

Belphegor had no idea what kind of powerful hallucinogens they were feeding to the members of their own Famiglia, but it was well known that Sawada Tsunayoshi and his six Guardians were about as merciful as a pack of vicious barracudas when confronted by their enemies. It was one of the few reasons why Xanxus could tolerate associating with them now, after all.

The Prince shot the Tenth a dark look before transferring his glare to his lover. "Quit flirting with other men; you are already taken," he snapped, and she paused in her fussing to stare at him incredulously.

"I wasn't flirting!" she protested indignantly, but Tsuna and Hayato were quick to notice that she had not objected to being 'taken' by Belphegor. Then, she appeared mildly confused. "Are you…jealous?"

Haru sounded nonplussed, but the blonde merely scowled. "If by jealous you mean 'barely restraining the urge to strangle silly women who should know better than to throw themselves at other men before their lovers,' then yes, I'm jealous as fucking hell."

Now the three Vongola members stared at him, surprised that he wasn't making any effort to deny his attachment to the brunette. Belphegor no longer cared about that anymore, it seemed. After all, what was there to hide or deny when he had already as much as claimed her as his? In fact, if he had to make the sacrifice of jumping through proverbial hoops just to keep her, then she'd damn well know who she belonged to from now on. Belphegor saw no reason to beat around the bush when it came to that, and besides, it wasn't as if the Japanese Vongola were not aware of his…_proclivity_ towards her by now.

Still, they had gawked rather idiotically at his bold, open admission—Gokudera more than Sawada, though they recovered with admirable poise. Belphegor didn't give a rat's ass about them, however; his attention—and irritated wrath—was focused solely on Haru, who had turned quite red at his blunt, candid reply. For a brief moment she looked like she wanted to say something to him but couldn't quite seem to find the correct words. Then, she shook her head and to his muted surprise and subsequent satisfaction, promptly left Tsuna's side to go to him, docilely obedient _for once_.

The identical expressions of mild astonishment on the faces of the Tenth and his Storm Guardian mirrored the sentiment that Belphegor felt but chose not to reveal. He smirked instead, and after awhile, Hayato chuckled.

"Color me impressed!" the silver-haired Guardian sounded pretty amused. "You managed to tame the she-devil!"

Said 'she-devil' in question gave the rude man an irritated look, and even Tsuna frowned mildly at his unruly subordinate.

"Belphegor-san," the Juudaime spoke at last, a tint of genial curiosity in his level tone. "Answer me this question. What would you have done if I had insisted on taking Haru back to Japan with us?"

Haru stared between Tsuna and her lover quizzically, wondering what they had been talking about prior to her arrival. Bel's smirk did not cease when he gave his reply.

"If that was so, then I suppose you wouldn't mind giving up an entire wing of your underground base to accommodate my stay in your country," the Prince remarked matter-of-factly.

Haru stared at him for a good while. "You mean you'd come to Japan as well?" she sounded completely bewildered. She was not the only one amazed by the blonde's reply.

Bel shrugged carelessly, as if they weren't discussing his hypothetical relocation to another continent.

"Land of the Rising Sun; I certainly won't object to being based there."

Sushi was, after all, his favorite food.

Whereas the other two men stared blankly at Bel, Haru was not similarly inclined to do the same thing. She looked exasperated.

"I don't think Xanxus will allow you to remain in Japan on a whim," she muttered.

Her golden-haired lover merely shrugged again.

"Xanxus is not a babysitter. He doesn't care what we do as long as we complete our assignments. In fact, he'd probably be happier if I'm off in Japan."

Hayato raised an eyebrow. "And why is that so?"

The assassin Prince grinned. "Well, as my hospitable hosts, you would be expected to take care of any accidents that I occasionally get into."

The Vongola exchanged a curious glance with each other.

"Accidents?" Hayato echoed at last.

Bel nodded.

"You know, the usual stuff—handling any resulting fallout with the local authorities, dealing with the messy paperwork, writing condolence letters to the families of unfortunate individuals, dispensing monetary compensation for property damage and accidental deaths… What? You don't do that in Japan?"

By now, the three Vongola members were all staring at him with varying degrees of incredulity and disbelief.

Then, Haru shook her head slowly. Somehow she wasn't surprised. Only Belphegor was capable of creating so much destruction and mayhem that he warranted an entire list of precautions and preparations just for his sake alone.

"Bel, that's just ridiculous," she muttered. "What kind of demands are those?"

The all too innocent expression on his face made her stare at him suspiciously, and then Hayato coughed slightly.

"Well, it's lucky that Belphegor won't have to return with us then. I don't think that our underground base could survive housing him on a semi-permanent basis."

The blonde's only reply was a small, devious smirk, but the Tenth heard loud and clear what he did not say. If Tsuna forced Bel's hand, then he had better be prepared for the resulting chaos that the latter would unleash in retaliation—right in his own territory.

_Well played, Belphegor. Well played. _

"You are willing to drop everything in Italy for Haru?" Tsuna persisted, coolly ignoring Bel's threat.

Haru's eyes widened at her friend's uncharacteristically intrusive question.

The blonde gave the Decimo a small, amused sneer.

"Who said anything about dropping everything in Italy?" Bel retorted. "I will still take assignments for the Varia only; nothing will change." He wrinkled his nose with distaste as a random thought occurred to him. "And I will definitely not be joining your Famiglia."

Tsuna wondered if the Prince was being deliberately obtuse; that was not what he had meant to ask and he was quite certain that the other man knew it as well.

"By the way, Sawada Tsunayoshi," Belphegor called out then, his head cocked slightly to the side. "Are you done with your little 'test' yet? Because I'm getting bored of this already. Why don't we settle this with a fight instead?"

He didn't sound like he was joking.

Haru gawked at Bel. She wasn't the only one. Even Hayato had raised his brow in surprise.

Tsuna merely watched the cocky Storm Varia in silence. Then, at last, he agreed.

"Very well, we will do it your way." It would ease his discomfort of leaving Haru with Belphegor at least, if he was assured of the latter's abilities in keeping his friend safe-

"Stop! No one is fighting!" Haru blurted out then, scowling unhappily. By now, she had definitely gotten the gist of what the two men had been discussing before she arrived with Hayato, and to say that she was not happy about it would be an understatement.

"Quit antagonizing Tsuna, Bel!" she snapped at her lover fiercely. Then, before anyone could react to her show of temper, the upset brunette turned to her Leader next, the corners of her eyes tightening with displeasure.

"And you! What is the meaning of this, Tsuna?" she asked sharply, bristling. "Is this just a pissing contest to you? Is this what this whole thing is all about? A convenient opportunity to pick a fight?"

Tsuna stared at Haru in surprise. He could not remember a time when he had been so harshly rebuked by this woman, and the fact that she was doing just that right now made his eyes widen ever so slightly with astonishment.

"Haru…" the Juudaime faltered briefly before he quickly recovered his calm, regal poise. "Haru, I was only trying to protect you-"

He had used his gentle, reasoning voice on her, and it had usually worked to calm her down whenever she got too…enthusiastic in the past, but this time around, the effects were hardly noticeable. If anything, Haru seemed to look even more aggravated, though her fury was quickly becoming less wild and more concentrated—which really wasn't a good thing from Tsuna's point of view.

Standing beside her, Bel was having quite a difficult time concealing his delighted grin. It seemed that his woman had never shown this shrewish side of her character to her beloved 'Tsuna-kun' before, judging by the stunned look that was barely concealed on the man's face. The golden-haired Prince wondered how Tsunayoshi was going to handle his fiery, hot-tempered lover now.

It was about time that the Vongola X got to know Haru's true nature—his deceptively drab, chirpy little sparrow hid sharp claws, after all, and the man who proclaimed himself her leader was about to discover their existence.

"Explain how getting into a fight with Belphegor will protect me," Haru demanded irritably, most determined to understand the illogical thinking of men. Naturally, Tsuna could provide no answer to that, Vongola Decimo or not.

Haru narrowed her eyes at his guilty silence, but that wasn't the only reason for her growing annoyance. "…And do I really look like I constantly need protecting?"

Tsuna's instincts had never led him wrong before, and further bolstered by his _hyper intuition_, the fine hair standing at his nape told him that he really shouldn't attempt to answer the eerily quiet question.

It was amusing as hell to see the disconcerted and cautious looks that the two powerful Japanese Vongola were giving to the smaller, but quite angry, female. It was as if the two men had suddenly found themselves facing off with an enraged tigress and had frozen in their movements in the hopes of not attracting the attention of the furious carnivore.

Tsuna was the first to break out of instinctively induced wary state, thereby earning even more admiration from his right hand man.

"Haru," the Tenth started to explain calmly, slowly, trying to show that he meant no harm. "It's my responsibility to protect you, a member of my Famiglia."

Haru looked mildly upset, but thankfully enough, was also beginning to grow too irritated by Tsuna's 'gallant, gentlemanly' answer to start crying anytime soon. She could not believe that she was actually thinking this, but she was beginning to get rather annoyed with Tsuna's selfless, self-sacrificing, knight-in-shining-armor attitude. It had been sweet and downright romantic in the past when he had never failed to rescue or protect her during their youth, but things were no longer the same as the years passed. Whereas Kyoko-chan was content not to meddle too much in the Mafia affairs, passively supporting the Famiglia and not minding to play the role of damsel in distress every now and then, it pained Haru almost physically to sit around and wait to be rescued.

As she grew from girl to woman, often embarking on dangerous adventures in the name of the Vongola clan, she had gradually learned what it truly meant to be a member of the Famiglia. It wasn't all fun and games, and as her thinking matured, she had also grown determined not to burden her brave, fearless leader anymore than she should. She wanted to pull her own weight. She had worked her ass off to be useful to her Family in the best way she could, but…

"Have I always been nothing but a burden to you, Tsuna?" she asked quietly at last. "Is it true that no matter how hard I work to prove my worth, I will still always be a deadweight, an extra burden on your shoulders?"

Tsuna had no idea that Haru had thought of herself that way. He stared at her in astonishment.

"No…Haru. You are not a burden!" The Tenth's reply was immediate and without doubt. "You have never been a burden. You are an invaluable member of the Family-"

"Then trust me," she cut him off firmly, her earnest gaze boring imploringly into his. "If you really think that way, you must trust in me to know what's best for myself, Tsuna. You cannot seek to protect all of us in the Family by cosseting us like this; that's not fair to you and it's not fair to us either. We need to grow beyond the protection of your flame and shield; only then will the Vongola be truly strong."

She sounded like she believed completely in what she was saying, that she had always been striving to live while following this belief of hers as best as she could, and even Hayato was driven to momentary speechlessness by her fierce conviction, the strong fire that burned in her eyes. It was true that she could hardly manifest her own Flame, but inside, in the heart, where it mattered the most, Miura Haru possessed a fire that could rival any of the Vongola Guardians, past and present. She had the brand of the Vongola clan burning fiercely in her soul, and for the first time ever, Sawada Tsunayoshi finally saw the beautiful, graceful woman that she had become.

Dark amber eyes widened ever so slightly, and for a brief moment, the enigmatic, handsome Decimo appeared mildly stunned. He recovered gracefully however, though he never took his eyes off the smaller but plucky young woman who belonged to his Family. The slightest tint of a flush smudged his cheekbones, the barest remnants of his shy childhood, and then Sawada Tsunayoshi graced Haru with a small, genuine smile, his unique eyes glowing with affection—and admiration.

Had her heart not already been stolen by a certain devious, sneaky, assassin Prince who refused to give it back, Haru decided that she might have fallen into an infatuation with Tsuna all over again. Her Boss was just too inconsiderate and irresponsible, to be so carelessly showing this type of tender expression to unsuspecting females. She was definitely going to reprimand him for that later, Haru thought exasperatedly.

It seemed that she had indeed grown up and gotten over her girlhood crush on this boy hero whom she had always worshipped.

The Decimo inclined his head slightly, the gentle smile on his face never fading, however.

"I trust you, Miura Haru."

She looked vaguely surprised by how easy it had been to persuade Tsuna to see her point of view, but even that quickly faded away as she returned her Boss' smile with a cheerful beam of her own. Haru had half expected her leader to be more obstinate than that, but she had obviously underestimated the power of her own charisma and charm.

"Thank you, Tsuna." The quiet gratefulness in her eyes could not be faked. "I will not let you down."

Hayato huffed then, effectively breaking the awe inspiring atmosphere that Haru had somehow managed to create. It must be a once in a lifetime occurrence, according to the Vongola Storm Guardian.

"I suppose that big speech was made all because you want to stay here then, stupid woman?"

For once, she did not get mad at his rude nickname for her. No, Haru was learning to become the better person and was completely ignoring Hayato, which in hindsight seemed to be a better method of irritating the silver-haired man than any amount of her name calling could accomplish. Still looking at Tsuna, she continued earnestly.

"I think I'd like to stay here for awhile," Haru agreed, serenity ghosting across her features as she made up her mind. Her eyes lifted to meet the veiled ones of her lover for a brief moment, her gaze steady, an indescribable expression on her face. It wasn't the shallow, giddy school girl infatuation that she had once had for Tsuna in the past; this time around it was something deeper, something more.

Tsuna's smile turned a bit wistful then, as it was obvious that it was no longer him whom she turned to with soft eyes filled with love. It had taken her standing up to him for him to realize just how much she had grown beyond the silly, love struck, puppy-like, fourteen year old who had once declared her love for him, but he was a bit too late. Someone else had seen her true worth before he even realized what he had, _the growing possibilities of a strong woman who could and would stand by her man_, and that someone else had swiftly snatched her affections away when he was not paying attention.

That was Bel's cue to blatantly reinsert himself into the conversation. It was all well and good that the oblivious Vongola X had finally woken up and smelled the roses, but those roses belonged solely to him now and that the younger man was getting his nose too close to them, or rather, _her_.

Well, finders' keepers, losers' weepers. He would be taking unholy delight in flaunting Haru before Tsunayoshi—Bel was just ridiculously childish like that. Besides, now that Haru was his, it would be prudent to remind the other man that he had no intention of relinquishing his prize.

The golden-haired Prince chuckled and casually hooked his arm around Haru's shoulders, nudging her closer to him. She appeared slightly startled by his action but otherwise did nothing to shrug him off. That pleased Bel on a rather innate level. She was no longer fighting him, was beginning to accept her place by his side.

"Well, Vongola X, I guess she doesn't need your protection after all."

Tsuna could not help but notice that Belphegor had not been at all surprised by this side of Haru, but perhaps that just explained everything. Whereas Haru had been too cosseted, too sheltered by the Vongola Famiglia, the Varia's Prince had no qualms in doing just the opposite. He provided her with only the barest protection needed to keep her from harm, and that was it.

But Haru was clearly thriving from it, being allowed the freedom and the unspoken trust to do what she felt was the best for herself and her Family. For once, someone was giving her the chance to maximize her potential, and Haru was all the happier for it.

It seemed that Belphegor knew her much better than one would think, and he clearly had his own way of handling the feisty, spirited female. The more Tsuna watched them both, the more he started to think that their intimate relationship wasn't as strange or as outlandish as he had first thought. It was obvious that Belphegor gave Haru something that she had not been able to receive with anyone else and perhaps it was the same way for Belphegor too, for the lanky, good looking Prince to be so possessive of her in return.

Who knows? They might just be good for each other in the long run.

Tsuna smiled fondly at Haru. It was true that she no longer required his protection; now, someone else had the honor of watching over her.

"If that makes you happy, Haru, then you have my blessing."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, Tsuna is not in love with Haru. Before you guys can get too excited over a possible love triangle, let me nix the idea straight away, haha. Allow me to assure you that Belphegor alone is more than enough of a handful for Haru to handle, now to mention our favorite Varia Prince will most definitely not tolerate someone encroaching on his 'territory!'

Tsuna was actually having one of those 'what have I been doing all these time not to notice this happening' moment. He is not infatuated with Haru, but his respect for her had definitely gone up a few notches. Without Belphegor's presence, perhaps that respect might have grown into something more, but since it was Belphegor's doing (albeit indirectly so) that brought Tsuna's attention to Haru's growth as an individual, that's sort of moot point.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

And yes, Belphegor can be quite childish and he is definitely not above taunting members of the Vongola just for the hell of it!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

That's all for now; thanks for reading!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	28. Chapter 28

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6409

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 28/08/10

**

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**Chapter Twenty Eight**

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The Japanese Vongola left the same night they arrived. After all, there wasn't any need for them to remain in Italy since their mission had been a failure. Much to Lussuria's delight, Haru had expressed her contentment in remaining here amongst the Varia and Tsuna had granted her request. The Sun Flame wielder had been quite disappointed to learn that Haru wasn't really pregnant, though Belphegor had smirked lazily at that and told the other assassin to check back in a couple of years.

Haru had been properly mortified by his reply, and the nonplussed Vongola duo were treated to the bizarre sight of their civilian member attacking the Varia Storm Unit Commander—the not completely sane and very trigger-happy Varia Commander, if they might so add—and what's even more amazing was that he hadn't retaliated against her rather feeble assault with deadly force.

It was enough to convince Tsuna and Hayato that Prince Belphegor was indeed smitten with Haru—there could be no other reason why the royal aristocrat would put up with being smacked upside the head, even if he did somehow deserve it. That didn't mean Bel had somehow gone soft and mushy though, he was still his usual creepy, giggly, violent self, only it seemed Haru was exempt from most of his bloodier tendencies. Smart as she was, her combat abilities were near to none and therefore he never had the urge to really fight her in the first place. For an assassin of his caliber, it would have been like shooting fish in a barrel, and that was just no fun for the assassin Prince.

After all, there were other more fun things to do with Haru and it wasn't as if there was anyone in the Varia stupid enough to point out that he was giving her special treatment. And even if they did, well, he had every right to do so—she was his lover, after all.

And right now, the woman in question was clutching onto a package of handmade Japanese _wagashi_ that her Boss had specially brought over from their country for her. She was also trying valiantly not to cry and failing miserably at it as she watched the taillights of the vehicle that Tsuna and Hayato were in slowly disappear ahead as the car left the Varia castle.

For someone who had proclaimed that she would like to remain in Italy, she sure wasn't looking happy about her decision right now. Belphegor watched her sniffle and snort for a few minutes, incredulously wondering not for the first time how such a small woman could produce so much noise and water in such a small period of time before he quickly got bored. Her face had gotten red and splotchy as it always did whenever she cried, and he rolled his eyes.

Belphegor didn't quite understand how she could be so charismatic and forceful enough to convince the Decimo and his Guardian one moment and then be bawling all over the place the next, but she had always been rather peculiar that way, and he had long since given up trying to figure out what made her tick already.

"Are you quite done yet?" he asked idly at last, looking for all the world as if he could hardly care less that she was so saddened by her friends' departure. He had been leaning casually against one of the great marble columns that stood sentry by the large car porch where the Vongola Famiglia had said their goodbyes to their fellow member, hands tucked into pockets and staying just a suitable distance away from the trio so that they could bid their farewells to each other in relative privacy.

Haru had forcibly reined in her tears until her Leader and his Storm Guardian were too far to see her, and only then had she allowed herself to cry quietly. She had missed her home dearly and was going to miss her friends and family even more, but she had already made up her mind to stay. Besides, after how she had managed to convince Tsuna to allow her the chance to grow from beyond his intimidating shadow, Haru knew that her place was right here in Italy. It would not be easy, this route of independence from the Vongola that she had decided to walk for now, but with Belphegor by her side, even with all of his irritable glory, perhaps things wouldn't be so bad.

Said male in question pushed away from the pillar that he had been leaning against to walk up to his lover. She looked even more pitiful up close, but since she wasn't injured or in danger, he didn't really care all that much. The woman was just crying because she felt like it and it wasn't as if he was obsessive enough to want to control everything she did. Perhaps she was just taking this opportunity to clear her tear ducts or something; who knew what she was thinking this time.

Belphegor deftly extracted the small, paper package from her though, giving the quaintly packed box of traditional Japanese sweets a brief, cursory glance before he tore the elegant wrappings off and nonchalantly tossed the box lid over his shoulder. Haru was so astounded by his utter rudeness that she quit sniffling to gape at him. Without even taking the time to admire the colorful designs of the various _wagashi_, the blonde took a piece of the exquisitely crafted desserts and popped it into his mouth. The sticky, sweet, chewy confection had an azuki bean paste filling and the combination of mochi and red bean texture was surprisingly palatable.

"This is quite good," he acknowledged grudgingly at last, and Haru snapped out of her stupor to start frowning at him instead. Bel was about to pluck another of _her_ desserts from the box that Tsuna had given _her_ when she quickly protested.

"Stop that." She gave him a watery scowl. "You cannot just take people's things and eat them without permission! Tsuna gave it to me-"

Whatever else she was about to say was promptly halted when he leaned over suddenly and deftly kissed her into silence. He tasted of the _wagashi_ that he had just eaten, but before she could react to his inappropriate advances (as usual) he pulled away and promptly stuffed a piece of mochi into her mouth. She was so surprised that she automatically started to eat the delicious, sticky goodness.

Good; at least she had stopped that irritating sniffling and snorting.

Haru recognized the familiar, nostalgic flavor instantly; it was one of her favorite treats after all. The _wagashi_ she favored could only be bought in a small, exclusive confectionary shop in Namimori Town. The traditional Japanese desserts sold there were all painstakingly handmade, the recipes passed down from generation to generation of the same family who had dedicated their lives to crafting the largest variety of high quality mochi confections in Japan.

It had to be at least two years since the last time she went with Tsuna to that small, specialized establishment, and it touched her deeply that her Boss had still remembered the exact types of _wagashi_ that she had bought that day even after all this time. Tsuna truly was the best friend and leader she ever knew, and as she continued to chew the mochi, the tears started flow again with a vengeance.

"Th-this is really d-delicious…"

She looked quite pitiful with small rivers of tears trickling down her face, a soft, miserable sob threatening to escape her throat, but still she continued to swallow the piece of _wagashi_ determinedly. This time around, she turned to him instinctively for comfort, walking blindly into his arms even as her tear reddened face screwed up with distress. She held onto him tightly, shaking quietly with distress, hiding her drenched features against his shoulder even as she let out a soft, miserable wail.

"I miss them, my nakama-!"

She was crying in earnest again, and doing a good job soaking his jacket while she was at it. He thought that she was being quite ridiculous though, and his lips turned down in an irritated grimace.

Belphegor pulled her a small distance away from him, grasping tightly onto her arm so that he could look her in the eyes.

"Stop that," he bit out curtly, looking completely unamused by her little temper tantrum. "You chose to stay here, so quit acting like a brat."

She glared back at him, stung by his unsympathetic demeanor. She had not expected him to comfort her with soothing words or any other kindly gestures of course, but it would have been nice if he had just remained quiet and allowed her to cry her sadness away. Couldn't he understand that the decision she had just made had been a significant one to her? She, who had always strove to be useful and loyal to her Famiglia and friends, now felt as if she was abandoning them because of her own selfish desire to remain in Italy for her lover—and she was guilt stricken.

But Belphegor was merciless in his disregard of her upset feelings.

"Your friends are no longer your priority," he informed her with little preamble. "Your life no longer revolves around them."

He gave her a small, insistent shake to center her attention completely on him, and she did, watching him carefully to see what he was going to say next.

"I am your sole priority now. You life will revolve around me. _You shine only for me from now on_. _Watch only me_."

Haru's watery eyes widened slightly at his hard words. There was no hint of the usual smirk or jester-like smiles that normally adorned his features—he was completely serious. She was so stunned by the implications of his unexpected declaration that she was struck speechless.

He refused to settle for her silence though, even when she had completely stilled in surprise from his claims.

"Do you understand me or not?" he demanded. He paused, a mild look of irritation crossing his features as he surveyed her still rather shell shocked features.

Then, he gruffly called out her name.

"Haru."

It was definitely the first time he had spoken her name, even though he currently looked as if he would rather be off randomly killing some unfortunate living things at the moment.

There and then, Haru could no longer deny the truth that she had already known for a long time.

Belphegor cared for her in his own way, despite his often misleading behavior, and he wanted her enough to not only demand that she remained with him here in Italy, but to also possessively claim her loyalty for himself as well. The love she had for him seemed to grow even more, and perhaps, her feelings for him were beginning to slowly outweigh her affections for her Famiglia, the latter of which had not waned, it just seemed to hold just a bit less precedence now compared to what it originally had.

The golden-haired Prince was still looking at her and growing more and more impatient while he was at it, but at last, Haru nodded slowly.

He wanted her to make him her entire world, and although she wasn't sure if she could really do that, Haru decided that she would love Belphegor wholeheartedly from now on, with no more regrets and hesitation. He was important to her, and even though she did not know if he truly reciprocated the depth of her feelings, she was willing to take a gamble this time. Belphegor would accept nothing less.

"I understand," she agreed at last in a quiet voice.

She was also no longer crying. Haru looked at Belphegor, her eyes glowing softly with conviction, pure and genuine and unconditional.

"I will stay with you for as long as you want me."

* * *

He pulled her into the first empty room he could find. It was a study with a huge desk sitting right in the middle and surrounded by tall shelves of books. He paid no attention to any additional details other than the fact that the room suited his current purposes well enough, and that was all he needed.

He shut and locked the heavy door behind them, ensuring their complete privacy before he turned back to her. Long strides quickly brought him right before her again, and with little preamble, he started to pull off her clothes with a single minded purpose, and she let him. She tugged restlessly at his jacket too, struck by the same urgency to remove all the barriers between them, a burning need to feel his skin pressed against hers.

He tossed her sweater and bra behind him, his hot mouth caressing every inch of her skin that he had revealed even as he hastily shrugged out of his own uniform. She reveled in his touches, arching into his hands like a cat, purring happily when both of their upper torsos were finally bare and she could feel his warmth against her. She bared her neck instinctively, allowing him to run his lips over her smooth, sweet smelling skin. He worked busily on the fly of her jeans, unhooking the button and eagerly pulling down the zipper. Snagging his fingers in the waistband of her pants and panties, he tugged the fabric down the length of her legs and quickly coaxed her to step out of them.

She did, and was completely unclothed. She was no longer as shy of her nudity before his hungry, lustful gaze, and dropped gracefully onto her knees in front of him. She started to undo his pants, reciprocating what he had done to her so far, her slender fingers fumbling over the buttons with unspoken urgency. She worked open the catch quickly, and then helped him remove his tall boots before pulling down his pants, revealing the rest of his sinewy, delineated body. He wore nothing underneath the bottom half of his Varia uniform, and unlike her, he was all too comfortable in his own skin, completely unashamed of his erection, the proof of his overwhelming desire for her.

Haru lifted her hand and lightly trailed the tip of her index finger down the length of his arousal. Her lover responded to the gentle, feathery touch with the near imperceptible tightening of his jaw and a fine tremor that passed through his taut body. Belphegor was by no means the tallest man in the Varia, nor was he the strongest, but the years spent as a seasoned fighter had given him a wiry, agile musculature that was perfect for his dangerous occupation. He was never going to be heavily built like Levi or even Xanxus, but he was lithe and lanky, sleekly muscled and built like a classic assassin.

He looked like a young Greek god, and if so, then she would be his river nymph, the only one he'd deign to lie with from now on.

Haru cocked her head slightly, watching her lover's reaction with an awed curiosity that was almost overshadowed by the desire in her darkened gaze. It was as if she was just beginning to realize the power she held over him, that she could affect him as much as he did her.

It made her feel unbelievably happy.

With a small smile, Haru leaned in and darted her tongue out, carefully licking the sensitive underside of his erection for the very first time. He tasted musky and slightly salty, and after a brief contemplation, Haru decided that she could get used to his flavor. Her hand crept up and around his hard length then, her fingers wrapping securely around his base as she dipped her head and wrapped her lips around the mushroomed head of his arousal. Her tongue played curiously, teasingly against his turgid shaft, and then she was sucking gently on his fevered flesh, her hand mimicking what she was doing to him with her lips and tongue, pleasuring him with her firm grip and the moist, silky heat of her mouth.

It had felt slightly awkward to her at the beginning, and she had fumbled clumsily for awhile before she finally established a smooth rhythm that seemed to work for her. A sharp, indrawn breath from her lover told her that she was doing something right at least, and encouraged, she worked harder in her ministrations, pumping her fist faster in tandem to the delicate, bobbing movements of her head, taking as much of him as she could into her mouth, swirling her tongue against his sensitized slit of his penis.

Belphegor said nothing to stop her or control what she was doing to him, but the way he tensed and the soft, lusty grunts that he emitted told her that he enjoyed the fellatio she was performing on him. His taut flanks quivered finely with the sexual tension that was just straining to be released, and his hands, those long artist's fingers were tangled amongst her hair, clenching and unclenching almost uncontrollably as he fought the urge to move, to jerk his hips towards the tight wetness that was her soft, inviting mouth.

Hearing the throaty growls that he gave out made Haru grow increasingly wet. It was a rather demeaning position that she had put herself in between his legs, but she found that she did not mind. Strange as it sounded, it aroused her that she was pleasuring her golden-haired lover, and Haru would have gladly helped get him off if not for the fact that Belphegor didn't think he could stand the exquisite torture any longer and forcibly dragged her back to her feet.

"Enough," he hissed rather breathlessly, and before she could protest, he pulled her to him and proceeded to kiss her with carnal lust. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and kissed her as if he meant to suck the very soul right out of her, and Haru merely wrapped herself around him and reciprocated his enthusiastic display. Her hand crept back down towards his erection, but before her fingers could brush against his damp, turgid length, he pulled her sharply away.

She made a soft sound that greatly resembled disappointment.

"Bel, I want you now-!" the brunette whimpered softly to her lover, and the sheer need in her husky voice only made him grow even harder with arousal for her. He was painfully erect and he was also growing desperate to sheathe himself within her pliant, welcoming body. Jaw clenched, he walked them both towards the study table and with a violent sweep of his arm, he hurriedly cleared the large, flat surface. Stationery and files fell noisily onto the floor around them, but Belphegor hardly cared.

He hauled her onto the desk and laid out her lithe, nubile form over the hard surface, and she reached for him with unabashed eagerness. Her face was rosy and her eyes soft and dazed, the small pout on her kiss swollen lips drove him to distraction and he climbed onto the desk to kneel between her legs, stretching over her to capture her lips with his once more. He had her caged between his arms and she kissed him back heatedly, arching up against him, her soft thighs brushing against his narrow waist and hips, instinctively wriggling into place under him.

Her hand slipped down between their bodies, her warm fingers wrapping around his hard arousal, rubbing the highly sensitized flesh, spreading the pre-cum that leaked from the tip of his erection all over his shaft, giving him a vigorous hand job while she was at it. He broke their kiss quickly, his head bent, his eyes shadowed by his tousled hair as usual, but there was no mistaking the way his body reacted to her sensual ministrations, the fine tremor that overtook him, the instinctive arch of his spine, the quiet pants that came out of his mouth.

He was very, _very_ aroused, and watching him like that made her yearn for him even more. Right now, she wanted him just as badly as he did her, and pinned on the table by his weight, she lifted her head towards his face and dropped wet, open mouthed kisses on the side of his mouth, his jaw, his chin. He was tensed, corded veins standing out of his neck in stark relief, but Haru leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips, nuzzling him gently, her free hand caressing the side of his face, guiding him to look at her.

Her eyes were wide with trust and affection as she drew back to lie fully on the desk, her body language relaxed and unthreatened even though she was laid out before him fully bared, and her gaze never left his as she whispered her next words.

"I will watch only you from now on, Bel."

Before he could react to her soft promise, her eyes turned subtly playful, and she quickly moved her hand from his face to his arm. He had splayed his palms on the surface on both sides of her head earlier, and after turning to lick the underside of his wrist teasingly, she braced herself against his forearm and guided his throbbing erection into her.

She flushed a soft pink as he eagerly slid into the dewy wetness of her entrance, and she shifted under him, reveling in the decadent sensation. Warm lips brushed against her throat and she lolled her head obligingly, allowing her lover free reign over her body. He roved his mouth down the side of her neck and to her shoulder, nipping and eliciting small gasps of pleasure from her lips. Haru wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning his name breathlessly as he continued to push into her. Her womb clenched with anticipation, and when he eventually hilted himself fully within her, she turned her face into the side of his, kissing him restlessly, flicking her tongue out to tease his earlobe.

If she was being more affectionate than usual, then he certainly wasn't objecting to it. Instead, he caught the hand she had been digging into his forearm and held it over her head, intertwining their fingers together. She latched onto him immediately, and he lowered himself over her, snaking his other arm around her waist to hold her in place. He started to move.

He pulled out of her with painstaking slowness, and her breath hitched as she felt every inch of him rubbing against her inner walls. Pleasure sparked at her sensitive nerve endings and her free hand quickly came up to curl against his bicep, bracing herself for the sensual sensations that he was easily coaxing from her responsive body.

He flexed his hips and slipped back into her again, and Haru tightened her legs around him, relishing in his closeness. He filled her to fullness every time and the exquisite feeling made her tremble with increasing pleasure. She sighed softly into his ear as he continued his lazy movements, and then he turned his head and kissed her again. There was little of the urgency or the frantic need that usually accompanied his frenzied sex sessions, and Haru did not really understand it, but that _intensity_ was somehow still there, only it seemed that he had tamed it for now, and was…focusing it all on her this time around?

He was watching her very carefully, Haru knew it. She could feel his gaze concentrated on her, but she did not mind it at all. She stared back at him, and never took her eyes off him. She moved with him the way a dedicated lover did with her partner, her hand brushing tenderly against his hair, his back, giving him comfort even as he gave her pleasure in return.

Through it all, he never pulled away from her affections. He never had before, after all, and probably never would.

Experience and plenty of practice had taught them how to please each other well, what they both liked. She knew what to do to prolong his pleasure, and he knew exactly where to touch to drive her weak in the knees. It wasn't long before their breathing quickened as their movements became faster, jerkier. They were entwined together in the dance as old as Time; he was tensing with the rapid onset of his release, and she, too, was straining towards completion.

Her eyes fluttered shut, his name became a breathless mantra on her lips, and he pulled her even closer to him, his head hanging down, his face lowered to hers, their hips joining, then separating, then joining again, the cycle repeating as many times as they both required. Their breaths mingled, their mouths brushed, tongues slick against wet lips and dampened skin, his long, graceful fingers playing over her heated, needy flesh, the soft, welcoming cradle of her hips cushioning his narrower, leaner loins as he drove home into her one last time.

She came first on the large study desk that they were making love on for the very first time. A quiet gasp and a fine shudder that ran through her slender body quickly told him that she had achieved her orgasm, and the resulting force of her climax had been strong enough to induce his own release. He spent himself within her soft, pliant body, hissing into her neck with sexual gratification, their bodies flushed from their exertions, pleasure and the heady rush of endorphins flowing through their veins.

He collapsed unceremoniously on top of her, and Haru closed her eyes and idly stroked Belphegor's hair, their limbs tangled together as they sprawled lazily on the table top. He kissed her neck absently, quietly rumbling with masculine satisfaction—she was wholly his from now on, and God help any unlucky soul who thought otherwise.

"…Bel?" Haru spoke up after a brief comfortable silence, her tone questioning.

He ignored her request to begin a conversation, instead nuzzling into her neck and pointedly expecting that she would take the hint and keep quiet. What was it with women and the need to talk right after sex?

Unfortunately for him, Haru seldom did what he wanted, and while he continued to feign temporary deafness and was most enthusiastically leaving his mark on her pretty little neck, her pleasant, comforting strokes on his hair became a lot less enjoyable when she grabbed tufts of his hair and started to pull instead.

"Bel…" She was beginning to sound a tad impatient, and he grimaced against her skin.

"What?" he grumbled in a muffled tone, indicating his reluctance to speak.

She stared exasperatedly at the ceiling above. Had he forgotten where they were? Now that the blinding haze of lust and passion had receded from her senses, Haru was more than chagrinned to realize that they had just had sex on the study desk of some unfortunate member of the Varia. Haru could only hope that it did not belong to any of the Commanders; she would never live it down if it was.

The brunette prodded her lover on his shoulder.

"We should leave before the owner of this room returns," she told him.

Belphegor caught the hand that she had been using to poke him and moved it away. "No need. Door's locked," he grunted. He went back to tending to the reddened mark that he had created on the side of her neck, nipping and lazily licking at the spot where he knew she was most sensitive.

Haru squirmed and moaned distractedly under him. The fact that he was still resting inside of her made it extremely hard for her to ignore his actions, and he growled when her inner walls rippled around him in reaction.

"Stop that," Haru demanded halfheartedly. He was beginning to harden within her again; she could feel it. His hands were running up and down the sleek slopes of her torso and it was quickly getting more difficult to resist him when he was being like this. In a last ditch effort, Haru reached out and tugged sharply at his fringe. He scowled in surprise.

"Why is your fringe always so long?" she blurted out randomly then.

He pulled back slightly to give her an incredulous stare.

"Why are you asking me this now?" he asked her back in an irritated tone. Her question was so out of the blue and like some of the strange things she did, he had not expected it. He would have returned to his previous pursuit of arousing her if not for the fact that she was looking a bit disgruntled and appeared to be in no mood to put up with his perversions.

"Well, how am I supposed to watch you if you are always hiding behind all that hair?" she demanded logically. "Do you have a lazy eye or are you hiding something that you are too embarrassed to let other people see?"

He started to look quite insulted by her utterly inaccurate conjectures.

"It's the tradition of my royal family to conceal the upper portions of our faces," he muttered. "The eyes are the windows to the soul, or so they say, and by concealing them, it is harder for our enemies to read our thoughts and intentions."

That was truly one of the more ridiculous things that Haru had ever heard. She also wondered just how paranoid his family must have had been when they were alive.

"Bel, have you ever walked into a wall with all that hair blocking your vision?" she asked curiously instead, and she could almost swear that she just saw him twitch in reply. The mood for another round of sex was definitely gone by now.

"No, I have never walked into any vertical surface before!" he snapped defensively. The blonde sounded a tad too aggravated to be completely honest, and for that, Haru started to smile.

She turned her head away and tried to mask her giggle with a cough, but the sharp, suspicious look he was giving her told her that he wasn't buying it. His scowl deepened.

"Are you laughing at me, you little-"

She shook her head quickly, and then reached out with both of her hands to cup his face. Then she drew her face near to his and pressed a laughing kiss onto his lips. When she drew back again, he could still taste her smile.

Startled by her sweet tenderness, he fell abruptly silent. She looked at him with good-natured humor dancing in her guileless eyes. Her fingers were warm and unexpectedly gentle as she ran them across his cheeks, and he stilled completely. It seemed that he was still not used to her brand of affection yet and did not know how to react to her whenever she behaved thusly.

Her doe brown eyes softened.

"May I look?" she asked. "I have wanted to see what you look like for the longest time," she confided. He had always been so touchy about the length of his fringe, and being the scary, snappy, evil bastard that he had been at the beginning of their acquaintance, Haru had quickly learned to respect his need for anonymity.

But he wasn't being hostile or defensive right now, and so, she brushed her fingers tentatively against his soft fringe, slowly pushing his unruly hair out of his eyes. Her gaze was filled with expectant curiosity as she looked up at him, and when she finally moved his hair away from his features, her eyes widened slightly with silent awe.

She had her suspicions, wild and ridiculous and completely out of the norm like her often over creative imaginations, but she was wrong. He wasn't ugly, nor did he suffer from any unusual birth defects that had required him to conceal his appearance from the world.

Actually, he possessed one of the most beautiful set of eyes she had ever seen.

Perfectly formed and symmetrical, they were slightly tilted and in a shade of the purest, luminous gold, reflecting light in a way that made his eyes look as if they were glowing softly. Long, dense lashes framed his molten gaze, and together with the rest of his aristocratic features, he really was a lot more attractive than she was mentally prepared for.

It seemed all the careful inbreeding his family had practiced throughout the generations had ensured that good looks and intelligence would be passed down the line, even if their temperament and mentality were not exactly stable. But still…

Their future children would be outrageously cute if they took after their Father even slightly, though she supposed she would have to do something to keep Bel's contagious craziness from spreading over to future generations…

She was starting to blush slightly at the thought of having adorable little golden-haired, golden-eyed babies in her arms. Children were her one true weakness, after all, and due to the heated look he was giving her, Haru was suddenly quite eager to get started on making some.

"You have pretty eyes," she blurted out then, which was quite the wrong thing to say if she had really intended to set the mood for seduction.

Her royal lover blustered.

"Pretty eyes? Is that all you have to say?" He sounded disgruntled as he swiftly pulled away from her hands. His tousled fringe immediately fell back into place like falling curtains, much to her disappointment. She wouldn't have minded gazing longer at his pretty, no, _gorgeous_ eyes, but he was being strangely huffy about it.

If only she knew that she was the first woman outside of his servants and family privileged enough to see his whole face, then perhaps she would understand his touchy behavior.

However, Haru was not privy to such information, and as such, merely soothed his fluster in her usual oblivious way. She smiled at him and nodded.

"I have never seen eyes like yours before," she told him quietly, honestly, blushing slightly as she continued her somewhat embarrassing admission. "_I…didn't want to look awa_y."

"…" Belphegor said nothing, but the expression on his face spoke volumes. The slightest tint of color settling over the bridge of his nose…!

Haru's eyes widened with disbelief at what she had just seen, but there was no mistake. He was embarrassed!

Her smile widened and a small, happy laugh escaped her. Before he could take offense at her rudeness, she threw her arms around him in the unmistakable gesture of a hug.

"You can be quite cute sometimes too, huh, Bel?"

He made a sound that resembled irritation at her comment, but Haru merely giggled a bit more before she reached up to kiss the corner of his mouth. She peered up at him with a small, lovely flush on her face.

"I like it," she told him unabashedly, and he started to look vaguely agitated again. Somewhere along the way he had completely lost control of their conversation, and he still had no idea just how that had happened.

It seemed that while he had suddenly regressed to the state of an awkward adolescent whenever she was being genuinely affectionate towards him, she, on the other hand, had apparently lost most, if not all, of her shyness when it came to him. It made for a rather interesting turn of events, to say the least.

Truly, if it wasn't for the fact that she had always gotten to him in relative privacy, he would have lost his temper and violently denied everything, inflicting messy death (and/or massive property damage) on all who saw this terribly embarrassing side of him. He looked like he wanted to start yelling then, only she was giving him such a sweet, expectant look that it made him want to do something deviant to her—like start molesting her all over again.

"If you don't quit looking at me like that, then don't blame me if I start another round with you right now," he threatened with relative composure—nothing could get him back to normal faster than the notion of sex and Haru, and this time was no exception.

But to his surprise, she gave him a coy, teasing look from underneath her eyelashes, her fingers stroking his bare chest with playful suggestion.

_That_ caught his interest.

"Perhaps I won't mind," she purred huskily. She was quite sexy and irresistible like this, and it was astonishing how her small adjustment in temperament only made him want her even more.

He really was in way over his head this time around, but that was alright.

She had already promised herself to him, though she was going to be severely disappointed if she was planning to go somewhere else after he 'no longer wanted her.' He had not missed the unspoken implications behind her rather selflessly given promise to him, and had she been some other random female, he would have ruthlessly taken advantage of the loophole that the foolish woman had unthinkingly left there, using and then discarding her as he pleased.

But Haru was not some random female whom he had picked up from nowhere, and he knew that she had meant every word of her vow to him, the little idiot. He was still wondering if he should be insulted by her apparent belief in his short attention span when it came to her or be irritated because she was severely underestimating her own appeal.

"I won't ever let you go, you know," he told her suddenly, his tone serious.

She stared at him in surprise. "Eh?" she replied eloquently, caught off guard by his sudden change in mood and subject.

"You said earlier that you would stay with me for as I long as I want you. Now I'm telling you that you will be staying with me for a very long time, so don't get any ideas of going anywhere."

Once again, he appeared quite irritated to have to spell everything out for her, and watched her reaction out of the corner of his eyes.

Her lover really was bumbling quite messily when it came to this, and if she hadn't suspected that this was the first time he was going all out for a woman—her—she would have been quite insulted by his huffy manners.

Haru gave Bel a small smile, deep affection shining in her eyes.

"Okay."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

This may come as a complete surprise to some of you, but you have just read the official ending chapter for 'Of Sparrows and Princes.'

I have to admit that this fic is one of my longer works and I bet most of you have already gotten bored of the storyline already, so for those who feel that way, you may now consider this fic completed and move on to greener pastures!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I know Bel and Haru's happy ending is rather ambiguous and left quite open to individual interpretation, but I think this works for them, so I will keep it thusly in this chapter. Even though the two of them hadn't exactly proclaimed their love to each other, I dearly hope that I had at least hinted at the degree of their affections for one another.

After all, I can't really imagine Belphegor going willingly onto his knees to declare his undying love and devotion to his lover, _even_ if he is rather attached to her and vice versa.

For the reviewers who had speculated over how Belphegor would behave when in love, well, I hope this chapter has met your expectations!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

To my dearest readers; thanks for sticking around for so long and manfully soldiering through all my sometimes infrequent updates and ungodly lengthy, rambling chapters. I hope you had at least enjoyed reading this fic as much as I had writing it.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Now that I have had all the necessary things said and done, I'd like to state that _unofficially_, my obstinately inconsiderate muse is actually not yet ready to let go of this verse yet.

Yes, that means _unofficially_, this fic is not yet completed, even if it is already over a hundred thousand words in length. I'm not sure if you should be rejoicing or crying right now, but you are certainly welcome to pretend that this is the end if you want to.

For the few happy ones, I will try to keep updates as per usual!

Confused? I hope not! Though you are welcome to clarify any doubts with me and I will definitely try my best to answer them all.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I'm not really sure what Belphegor's eye color is in canon-verse, but his eyes are a handsome luminous gold in this fic. By the way, the 'reason' behind Belphegor's long fringe was made up by yours truly as well—totally not canon at all!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least; thank you all for the one hundred faves!

Until next time!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	29. Chapter 29

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 9155

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 04/09/10

**

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**Chapter Twenty Nine**

* * *

Haru was reading in one of the castle's sunrooms one late afternoon, sipping hot tea and contentedly enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and wintry scenery outside when Lussuria peeped in.

"Haru-chan!" The martial arts expert glided gracefully into the room, exuberance and good natured cheerfulness evident in his friendly tone and expression. "There you are! I have been looking for you for some time now!"

"You have?" The brunette put down her book in favor of giving the Sun Unit Commander her full attention. "Did you need my help?"

Lussuria came up to sit beside Haru on the adjacent lounge chaise. "Oh no, it's nothing like that, Haru-chan! I just wanted to ask you something, so I went down to the dungeon vaults to find you but you weren't there. Levi told me that you weren't working today, so it took me sometime to track you here; met some problems?"

Haru shook her head. "No, everything's going quite smoothly, in fact. I finally have the algorithms ready and have rechecked them several times. The trial runs have produced good results as well. I'm just waiting for the machines and hardware I ordered to arrive, and also, the security engineers will come in a few days' time and we will need to discuss and implement set up and installation before I can try to run the program-"

She was so enthusiastic when it came to her work, as usual, and she would have continued to chatter more to anyone who cared to listen. Lussuria decided to stop her before she could get too immersed in her favorite subject though. Like Bel had mentioned not-so-politely before, his lover could bore a person to tears with all her over technical mumbo jumbo and alien jargon that no ordinary human being could easily understand.

Haru was just so adorably nerdy and earnest like that, though Belphegor certainly wasn't complaining very much over her quirky character. They were really such a cute pair, the flamboyant, colorful-haired male thought with fond amusement even as he laughed gaily and waved his hand to catch Haru's attention.

"Haru-chan, you know I don't understand much of what you are saying, but I'm glad that everything is going well on your side of the project. I just wanted to ask if you are planning anything special for Bel tonight; that's why I came to look for you."

Haru frowned slightly in confusion, trying to remember if there was some special occasion that she had forgotten. Nothing came to mind, and the brunette shook her head slowly.

"No, I didn't plan anything," Haru replied at last, much to Lussuria's surprise. Evidently, his look of muted astonishment was apparent enough that the brunette quickly realized something was amiss. "Lussuria-san, what is going on? Is Bel up to something strange again?"

Haru really had no idea what today's date represented, much to Lussuria's dismay. No one had told her!

"Oh no, Haru-chan; you mean you don't know that today is Bel's birthday?"

"Eh?" Haru was definitely surprised. Today was Bel's birthday? He was born on the twenty-second of December? "But no one said anything, not even Mortigor-san! And Bel never mentioned-"

Well, that wasn't surprising; they both knew that Belphegor wasn't exactly the type to cuddle and exchange birthdates, though in hindsight, Haru decided that she should have at least tried to find out more about her lover. It was just that she had been so busy the last few weeks finishing up her precious algorithm she had noticed little else, and with all the ruckus of Bel's time travel incident as well as Tsuna's visit, she barely had time to think in between the various crises that seemed to pile up one after the other.

Besides, Belphegor had always been so brazenly outspoken and outrageously bold, arrogant and not at all shy to demand what he wanted of her. Because of that, Haru quickly realized with inward surprise that she had always subconsciously expected that if there was anything he wanted her to know, no matter how immodest or impolite the subject was, he would just say it, social niceties be damned.

But her lover hadn't mentioned anything about his approaching birthday at all, and when he left for his assignment two days ago, he said nothing nor had he hinted that today would be a special day. No, he had just dragged her out of the server vaults and back to their bedroom, and had then proceeded to make love to her so thoroughly that she didn't even have the strength to return to work by the time they were done. He had left for his mission by the time she woke up naked and all alone on their bed, slightly sore from their frantic lovemaking but contentedly sated all the same.

He had definitely not mentioned anything about a birthday, or she would have remembered. Still, that was no excuse for her careless disregard. Belphegor was the man whom she loved, strange eccentricity, murderous tendencies and all; so what did it say for her affection towards him if she had not even known something as important as the day he was born?

Haru's frown deepened, a small flutter of upset rippling through her at her inattention.

"I-I didn't know. I'm terrible; I didn't even notice anything amiss."

It was not Lussuria's intention to make Haru feel guilty, and the martial arts expert swiftly cut in before the sensitive young woman could feel too bad about the matter.

"Oh, don't blame yourself for not knowing, Haru-chan! It's definitely not your fault. To be honest, I have never seen Bel celebrate his birthday in all the years that he has been with the Varia, and his servants always respected his decision, so perhaps that's why you didn't know. Forgive me, Haru-chan, I should have guessed that Bel would have either forgotten or just plain neglected to tell you. I just thought that since he has you now, that habit of not celebrating his birthday will have to go."

Haru was definitely surprised to hear that. She blinked at the older man. "You mean to tell me that Bel has never celebrated his birthday since he joined the Varia?"

Lussuria nodded.

"Hmm, that's about right. He was only eight when he came in, and by far the youngest. Fran didn't join us until quite recently, so Bel has always been the baby of the group. The rest of us were at least teenagers when he was only a child and we weren't very close then, so it was not like he could throw a party in the Varia Headquarters. Besides, he didn't have many friends and he didn't trust easily, and there were always people trying to kill him due to his royal lineage and succession rights to the throne, so I suppose he just outgrew the need to celebrate his birthday a lot earlier than most."

It was strange to hear her lover described as the baby of anything, but it was the truth. With the exception of Fran, he was the youngest in Varia, and once again, she was given a glimpse of Belphegor's life as a child, and the lonely existence that he had led due to his unusual circumstances. For someone who had blissfully celebrated every year of her birthday with much fanfare and always surrounded by friends and family, it hurt her to realize that her lover was not so lucky in that aspect. Of course, he was not some pitiful, angsty person who wallowed excessively in his troubled childhood and unfortunate past—if anything, he looked like he could hardly care less, but that only showed her how strong he really was. Sure, he wasn't exactly the sanest person in the world, but he had survived the only way he knew how and for that, Haru was thankful.

Then, the brunette realized something. She quickly turned towards Lussuria, distress and panic written on her face.

"Oh no, Bel is coming back in a few hours' time; how am I going to get a present for him?" Another thought occurred to her as well. "There's no time to prepare for anything, and we are in the middle of the countryside! Furthermore, I don't know what to get him!"

She was quickly driving herself into a small, disoriented frenzy, frantic and flustered and looking so very cutely at a loss that Lussuria chuckled. It was rather obvious that the pretty Japanese woman was head over heels in love with Belphegor, the lucky blonde. Lussuria quickly put up his hands to try to calm Haru down, though.

"Haru-chan, don't worry so much! As I mentioned earlier, Belphegor will not be expecting anything from you, so don't feel like you are obligated to do something just because I told you about this."

The younger woman shook her head quickly. "I don't feel obligated at all," she replied seriously. "I really want to do something for Bel."

The quiet insistence in her voice told Lussuria that she truly meant what she said, and Haru blinked when the flamboyant martial arts expert started to _sparkle_, an explosion of fairy dust and little pink heart shaped clouds floating in his background. Before Haru could prepare herself, the Sun Unit Commander flounced over to her and gave her an exuberant hug. Haru's eyes widened with surprise.

"Tee hee, Haru-chan, you are sooooo cute! You must really love Bel very much, don't you?"

Haru sputtered with embarrassment, and the much taller man merely patted the brunette with laughing affection. "Don't worry, don't worry, Haru-chan! Lussuria Onee-san will help you, o~kay?"

Haru stared at the older man, hope growing in her eyes. "You have an idea, Lussuria-san? I will be forever in your debt!" She frowned then. "But Bel has practically everything that money can buy…"

She wasn't exactly poor, but rather, Belphegor was so ridiculously wealthy that she had no idea what to get him. Haru felt a bit self conscious. There was nothing that she could give him that he didn't have already, and that was a sobering—and daunting—realization.

Lussuria released the troubled looking brunette and hooked his index finger under her chin, tilting her face up to the light to see her expression. It was obvious that the poor girl was starting to look somewhat uncertain, and Lussuria wanted to reassure her that Belphegor was so taken with her that it wouldn't matter what she gave him as long as she was by his side.

That quickly gave the colorful-haired male a good idea.

"Haru-chan, just leave everything to me; I will make sure that today will be a birthday Bel won't ever forget!" The Sun Unit Commander looked closely at Haru then. "You will do anything for our Bel, won't you?"

It sounded like Lussuria was asking something very strange. Haru blushed at his probing stare, and then she nodded shyly.

Lussuria beamed.

"That's ex~cellent! I will have everything prepared in a jiffy, just you wait, my dear! And all you need to do is put on some lacy, sexy underthings and be present when Bel comes back! I hear that you used to cosplay, yes? We will give him a good surprise! Let's make Bel's jaw drop, what do you think?"

Haru suddenly had a very bad feeling about this, but Lussuria was on a roll and could not be stopped. "C-cosplay? Lussuria-san, please tell me what is this present that you are preparing for Bel again?"

Lussuria stared at Haru in surprise.

"Hmm? It's Haru-chan, of course! We will give Bel something precious that money cannot buy—and that's Haru-chan's love!"

Haru could only gawk at Lussuria. She was also slowly turning red again.

"Erm, Lussuria-san-"

The flamboyant martial artist leapt cheerfully to his feet then, startling Haru.

"Everything will be alright, Haru-chan! Lussuria Nee-san will take care of everything, including the 'gift wrappings,' if you get what I mean," he tilted his sunglasses low over the bridge of his nose and gave Haru a conspiring wink. "True love will prevail!"

Haru winced inwardly at the enthusiastic shout but could not help but smile slightly all the same. Lussuria-san was being so nice and helpful, going out of his way to do her a favor and there was no way Haru could berate him for his exuberance, even if it was a bit excessive.

"Ah, Lussuria-san, you really don't have to do so much-" Haru tried to cut in only to be waved away. Before she could say anything else, the man had already moved towards the exit of the solarium in quick, long legged strides.

"It's okay, it's okay! I will have everything prepared and ready in two hours' time! Wait here for my good news, Haru-chan!"

And then he twirled dramatically out of the room, leaving a bewildered, nonplussed Haru behind. The brunette could hear his happy trills of 'Love!' and 'Youth!' and 'Joy!' echoing down the hallway.

Haru could not help herself; a small giggle escaped her at the man's adorable antics. Lussuria had reassured her without even being too obvious about it, and she was heartened by his acceptance and kindness. With the very capable Sun Unit Commander helming Bel's impromptu birthday celebration, perhaps things would go smoothly after all.

She would have to depend fully on Lussuria-san this time around. But next year, she would definitely do everything herself.

Still smiling, Haru picked up her book and was about to resume her reading when a nagging thought suddenly occurred to her. A feeling of doom suddenly encroached upon her lighthearted mood.

"Wait…what cosplay was Lussuria-san talking about again?"

* * *

Belphegor was having a good day.

The mission was a success and he had also gotten a good fight in the deal. The opponent this time around had been skilled and wily, and it had taken some time to outmaneuver him. Belphegor had been grimly satisfied when he had finally caught the other fighter in his own trap and had subsequently gotten the opportunity to dispose of the other assassin. It had become a bit messy and irritating towards the end, but a win was still a win, and he had also gotten to sate his bloodlust in the process, so he couldn't complain too much.

Returning to the castle a few hours ahead of schedule was a definite bonus, and Belphegor just knew what he intended to spend the extra time doing—or rather, _who_.

Returning home to his little roosting sparrow definitely had its perks.

Yes, it was most certainly a good day to be alive.

The sky had just gotten dark by the time he arrived back at the Varia headquarters with his men, and after a quick debriefing, he had dismissed his Varia Storm Team and made his way to Xanxus. Reporting in took less than fifteen minutes, and after that was done as well, he had headed back to his suite. Haru was nowhere in sight, and so he opted to take a quick shower before setting out to ambush his lover. He was in the midst of changing into some fresh clothes when Fran shuffled into his suite, his irritatingly blank face as expressionless as always.

The blonde poked out his head from the entrance of the walk in closet and scowled when he realized that the younger man was not Haru. He walked out of the adjoining room dressed only in a pair of low slung, partially unbuttoned tight jeans as well as a towel flung carelessly over a shoulder, a long sleeved shirt in his hand. Belphegor was casually unguarded and he was toweling his unruly hair when he glanced at the other Commander. Fran was just standing around near the main doorway like some useless ornamental object as usual, his hands tucked into the pockets of his Varia coat, and it didn't take long before that Mist Flame eyesore of a statue annoyed Belphegor enough for him to speak.

"Well, what are you doing here, froggy?"

Fran's jaded gaze flickered over to land briefly on his irked-looking fellow Commander before he looked away again to stare at the empty space over Bel's shoulder. The youngest Varia assassin looked so bored that his sempai felt like smacking him.

"Lussuria asked me to do him a favor," the Mist Unit Commander replied at last in an uninterested manner.

Belphegor rolled his eyes, not that anyone could see it. That annoying Fran was being deliberately difficult as usual and was most likely not going to give up any useful information until the blonde dragged it forcibly out of him. And what did Lussuria want with him, anyway?

"So? What message did he send you to convey?"

Fran's dull turquoise eyes finally met his senior's gaze then—and held. The younger man's normally dilated pupils constricted sharply and abruptly, and before Belphegor could react, the illusion snapped neatly into place.

The golden-haired Varia promptly froze in place.

_Damned…brat! What the hell is he doing?_

The Mist Varia's monotonous voice echoed with flat precision in the silence of the bedroom.

"Happy birthday, sempai. Have a nice nap."

And then, Belphegor knew no more.

* * *

When Belphegor woke up less than half an hour later, he was pissed as hell.

It took him very little time to reorient himself and he realized immediately that he was lying on the bed in what he recognized as his own bedroom. The lighting had been darkened though, and there were lit, scented candles all around, cloaking a soft, dreamy ambiance over the normally stately, elegant atmosphere of the room.

It didn't take long for the blonde to recall just what his idiot of a kouhai had done to him and his temper flared quickly. He was still partially dressed in only his pants and his hair was slightly damp, which meant that he had not been knocked out for long. The Prince was also quick to note that other than for his brief, unnaturally induced nap, he suffered from no other unpleasant side effects from whatever Fran had done to him. Stewing in his growing anger, Belphegor would have leapt out of the bed in search of a certain frog-headed Mist Flame wielder who was going to suffer painfully for this atrocity but then he realized the second injustice that had been done to him that evening—he had been chained to the bed.

Handcuffed, actually, and the incredulous Storm assassin stared at the leather and metallic devices that bound his wrists separately to the two bedposts of his Victorian styled bed. A few seconds of attempting to burn through the deceptively flimsy looking material with his Storm Flame proved to be futile and told Belphegor that the cuffs had most likely been made in mind to be resistant to his attacks. Trying to break free with sheer brute force did not work either, and Bel was steadily getting madder by the second.

"What _the hell_ is going on…?"

Somebody was definitely going to die for this. He was trussed up like a turkey and he was quickly finding that he did not enjoy the experience at all. Yelling for his servants was not getting any response as well, and that implied they were either being kept away or were in on this farce, which did not improve Belphegor's rapidly souring mood any.

The golden-haired royal was about to do something drastic—like perform a series of rather challenging gymnastics and in the process break the headboard that kept him chained to the bed—when the bedroom door opened.

Belphegor stilled, his gaze fixed intently on the doorway. He tensed imperceptibly when a cowled figure stepped into the room, though he relaxed his guard almost as quickly when he recognized the identity of the intruder. Even hooded and completely obscured by dark cloths, there was no mistaking the height and slender figure of his lover.

Belphegor scowled. This evening was getting stranger by the minute.

"What the hell are you wearing? Never mind, just get over here quickly," he snapped, not exactly in the mood to be polite. He tugged futilely at his bonds once more and glared impotently at the manacles that chained him to the bed. "Use the phone and summon Mortigor right now to get me out of these-"

His order was interrupted by the soft clinks of metal coming from her direction and he trailed off midway when he caught sight of what were unmistakably the keys to the cuffs that he was trapped in. They hung off a small key ring that dangled from the crook of her index finger, and before he could demand for her to come and free him, she tossed the keys carelessly over her shoulder, much to his outrage.

"Woman, what do you think you are doing-"

Haru pulled down her hood then, her rich chocolate brown hair spilling over her shoulders in silky, voluminous waves. A light dusting of makeup emphasized her large doe-like eyes and pink lips, though the soft blush on her cheeks was all her. Belphegor did not know what to make of the pair of cute black cat ears that were perched on the top of her head though, but when she undid the buttons that held her cloak together and let the material drop, his mind went momentarily blank.

Her golden-haired lover clicked his mouth shut when he finally realized what she was really wearing.

The black corset bra that hugged her curves was made of pure French lace and was thus partially see through, and thin, satiny strips of burgundy ribbon threaded tastefully through the decadent material, bringing emphasis to her svelte, willowy body. Her breasts were pushed up and enticingly together by the tight ensemble and the soft, rounded flesh threatened to spill over the top of the lingerie. The dark material of the corset made her supple skin appear even milkier in contrast, all but inviting his touch.

A small, delicious scrap of silk and lace served as her bikini-styled panties, and the gauzy black garter belt that wrapped around her softly rounded hips were hooked to matching, thigh high sheer stockings that made her slender legs look even longer. Four inch stilettos encased her feet, boosting her height tremendously and accentuating her form, forcing her back to arch sensuously, emphasizing the thrust of her chest and the shapeliness of her backside. A pair of furry black wrist bands and a small fluffy tail that looked to be attached near the spine of the costume completed her entire ensemble.

It was rather apparent that she was dressed for seduction.

It didn't hurt to note that she also wore the diamond choker he had given her around her neck, the one embossed with his personal crest, the one that marked her as his.

By the time Bel completed his slow once over of his little Cat Lady, Haru was blushing something fierce. She gave a small twirl to show her lover her full attire before walking slowly towards him. His gaze immediately centered on her hips, drawn by the way they swayed gently with each of her movements. She came to a stop at the foot of the bed, and by then, Belphegor was definitely no longer in any hurry to escape this unusual situation.

She gave him a sexy little curtsy, granting him a brief view of the tops of her breasts in the process.

"_Goshujin-sama_," she greeted as sultrily as she could manage, her voice husky. She was not able to fully banish the shyness that showed on her face though, but that only added to her irresistible allure. "Will you play with Neko-chan tonight?"

He didn't reply, but the utterly intent way he was staring at her was answer enough. Haru flushed prettily and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, the gesture so sweetly innocent that it was downright incongruent to the sex kitten image that she was projecting. She took his silence for consent and carefully climbed onto the bed, slowly crawling towards him, her hips arched, her front lowered to showcase her modest assets to their greatest advantage. She was still somewhat awkward and bashful despite her best efforts and it told him that she was not used to this seductress role that she had put herself in, though nevertheless, he was quickly turned on by her all the same.

Who was he kidding; she could arouse him even if she was wearing nothing but a potato sack.

Haru threw a leg over him and straddled his hips. She placed her fingers on his chest and leaned in close to him. Her gentle scent enveloped him and he growled when she wriggled her soft bottom against his rapidly growing erection. The little minx gave him a pleased, half lidded smile, slowly losing some of her initial inhibitions when she realized that he was completely at her mercy.

She kissed the side of his mouth, mischievously flicking her tongue out against his lips before darting forwards and capturing his earlobe between her teeth, nipping playfully at the sensitive flesh. Then she released his ear and blew softly instead, licking wetly at his skin and eliciting a fine shudder of response from him. She nuzzled his cheek with unbridled affection.

"Play with me, Goshujin-sama," she breathed sweetly into his ear.

He could smell her shampoo on her hair and he could feel the soft, warm weight of her body as she pressed alluringly against him. She was being very irresistible; Prince or not, he was only a mortal man. The blonde's arms twitched in an effort to touch the little temptress perched on top of him only for the cuffs to remind him that he was currently being chained to the bed. He tugged futilely at his bonds.

"Release me," he demanded gruffly, his voice thickening with lust. "I will make you purr under me, _min_ _kattunge_."

Her beautiful, expressive eyes were dark and told him what she did not say. She shook her head slightly at him though, a small, pleased feline smile stretching across her face. Then she held his face between her hands and kissed him full on the lips. Even though restrained, his desire for her was as strong as ever and it showed in the hard, carnal way he responded to her, how he strained hungrily against her and attacked her mouth with greedy enthusiasm. He pushed his tongue into her mouth aggressively and tried to dominate her but she responded with equal fervor, pushing up against him and eagerly returning his kiss with a fiery degree of ardor that clearly matched his.

She wrapped her arms around him and sucked sensuously at his lower lip, nibbling at the reddened flesh before soothing it with quick laves of her tongue. He groaned into her mouth when she rubbed herself against him teasingly, arching like a lithe little cat and tempting him with the maddening softness of her body. He kissed her roughly, occupying himself with the pliant suppleness of her rosy lips, drawing her tongue into his mouth and intent on devouring her in the most pleasurable way possible. She moaned throatily and readily participated in the ardent kiss. Their mouths brushed and mingled urgently, lips clinging, igniting a fierce vortex of passion that seemed unquenchable.

Haru slipped her hand between their bodies, trailing a tantalizing, blazing path down his chest and torso and lean hips, finally coming to a stop on the hard erection between his legs. She massaged him through his pants, stroking the rigid length from root to tip and again with slender fingers, and he grunted in reaction, bucking into her hand in an unspoken demand for more.

The brunette broke the kiss then, pulling away from the hot pressure of his mouth, much to his disgruntlement. He quickly forgot about it, though, when she wriggled lower and started to pepper affectionate kisses over his chest and firm pectorals, at the same time deftly undoing the opening of his pants and sliding her hand under the material to grasp hold of the hard, taut masculine flesh underneath. Her palm was soft and warm, and she whimpered with anticipation when he throbbed in her firm grip. She started to move her hand instinctively, stroking him in steady push-pull motions that she knew from experience would bring him pleasure.

Her golden-haired lover groaned aloud at the dazed, dewy-eyed look on her face. Her expression never failed to show him everything she was feeling and thinking at the moment, and right now, the look on her face was telling him that she was becoming quickly aroused. He didn't mind though, had expected as much actually; she had always responded to him with such charming, addictive readiness and this time was no different.

She was enticingly beautiful like this, her lips red and pouty, her soulful eyes glistening with life and passion, a soft pink, healthy tinge coloring her cheeks. She was his personal nymph, sweet and alluring, and Belphegor had never realized just how badly he needed to touch her until now he was restrained and kept from laying his hands on her sleek, willowy form.

On the other hand, she looked like she was enjoying herself, wonderment and pleasure in her eyes as she took this rare opportunity to fully explore and appreciate the beautiful physique of her lover. He possessed the lean, wiry build of a Greek god, and together with his burnished golden hair and youthful features, he looked just like a young Apollo, one who was currently chained to her bed, his toned, sleekly muscular body laid out on the luxurious mattress for her sole enjoyment.

His arms were stretched out above his head; sturdy, Flame-proof leather cuffs wrapped around his wrists, keeping him physically bound to the solid oak headboard. He was bare-chested and barefooted, dressed only in a pair of fitting pants that brought attention to his long legs and rangy, agile form. His tousled golden hair was still a bit damp from his shower earlier and his pale ivory complexion gleamed slightly under the candlelight, physical traits that openly proclaimed his royal, Nordic blood. His lanky body was chiseled and well proportioned, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist and lean hips, and to her admiring eyes, he was a beautiful marble statue come to life.

And he was all hers.

Trembling with excitement, Haru leaned over her lover and slowly, gently, pressed her lips against his left pectoral in a chaste, innocent kiss, on the skin right over his heart. He watched her intensely, his expression momentarily smoothed over and not showing his thoughts over of her tender ministration. She licked him delicately, almost cat-like, on the same spot then; he tasted of firm, male flesh and smelled clean and deliciously masculine as usual, and Haru was abruptly struck by the temptation to sink her teeth into him.

Their gaze met and locked, and the look in her eyes turned to one of impish mischief before she nipped sharply at his chest, marking his pale skin and creating a faint, pinkish imprint of her teeth on his person. His muscle twitched in reaction to her little bite and his stomach tightened. Haru smiled against his chest before she positioned her mouth over the small mark and started to suck slowly, flicking her tongue playfully against his skin even as she continued to massage his erection with her hand. He was painfully hard and more aroused than he had ever thought possible, and all she had done so far was touch and play with him. He was turning into a pile of mush in her soft, capable hands, though for the life of him, he was not at all interested in pulling away from her.

The brunette started to kiss and lick her way down the length of his lean torso then, stopping here and there to pay special attention to certain parts of his anatomy that simply fascinated her or attracted her interest, sometimes biting and suckling on the firm, muscular flesh, boldly placing her mark on his body. He encouraged her with his growls of approval, enjoying the pleasurable application of her soft, enthusiastic mouth and eager hands. Her kisses were alternatively light as the brush of a feather or hard and urgent, and the contrasting sensation was most agreeable to his highly strung senses.

She was such a tease, lingering for an ungodly amount of time over the tight abs of his abdomen, kissing and licking the sensitive skin over his sleek muscles, scraping her teeth lightly over the rippling flesh with feminine delight, purring happily as she nuzzled affectionately against his lean stomach. She paid special homage to the small, crescent birthmark of his, lovingly tracing the shape with her tongue and enjoying every single groan of pleasure that she wrung from him. The little wench was obviously drawing out the moment, deliberately leaving him hanging on the edge of anticipation, the sight of her soft, rosy mouth so close to his turgid, demanding erection, but she seemed to be in no hurry to kiss her way down that particular part of his body that required her attention the most.

He hissed with growing impatience, his flanks twitching on their own accord as she continued to lovingly lavish her attention on his toned body. The chains that locked him to the bed clinked loudly and went taut as he tugged fruitlessly at them once more, channeling a fierce flare of Storm Flame through the reinforced shackles but to no avail, much to his rising sexual frustration.

She shot him a smoky, coquettish look from underneath her long, dense lashes, the little minx.

"Goshujin-sama," she spoke breathily, her voice slightly unsteady as a result of her own arousal. "Is there something that you want from me?"

"You know what I want," he growled huskily in reply. "Release me. I want to touch you."

It went unsaid that he fully intended to do more than just touch. Her eyes darkened, but still she shook her head. He didn't have the time to get irritated with her incompliance though, for in the next moment, she lowered her head and kissed the head of his engorged erection, her soft pink tongue lapping delicately against his sensitive, aroused flesh. Immediately, the blonde felt his whole body go stiff with intense pleasure from the simple contact. There and then, he quickly understood why some people enjoyed this game of control and domination.

Then, without warning, she engulfed him in the moist heat of her mouth, her luscious lips wrapped securely around his rigid shaft as she took as much of him into her as she possibly could. Her tongue rubbed against the broad underside of his penis, running erotically over the veined texture with unrestrained lust and eagerness, and her hands massaged the rest of him that she failed to bring into her mouth, paying close attention to every minute detail that would bring him sexual enjoyment.

Belphegor felt his hips jerk in response, a harsh hiss escaping him as she surrounded him with tight, damp warmth. She hollowed out her cheeks and created a mind numbing vacuum around his erection, and then she started to bob her head up and down his hard length with decided enthusiasm, moaning softly in her throat, sucking and licking him like he was a lollipop. One of her hands wrapped around the base of his stiff arousal whereas the other gently massaged his testicles, playing with the twin globes teasingly and eliciting pants of pleasure from him. The rough groans that slipped from his lips made her grow conspicuously wet, and Haru distracted herself from her own growing arousal by focusing on her lover instead, thrilled with the knowledge that she could drive him wild with sexual rapture.

His body had gone taut with unfulfilled desire, the tide of lust within him swelling to unimaginable proportions. The chains that bound him to the bedposts were tightly drawn from the sheer force he was exerting on them and a fine shimmer of slick perspiration coated his leanly muscled torso. He was stirring restlessly and obviously on edge, and it was all the doing of the sexy little cat girl perched between his legs, lustfully attending to him with her delicious little mouth and small agile tongue. Between her knowing actions and his own raw attraction towards her, it wasn't long before he felt the onset of a rapidly approaching orgasm under her nimble hands and loving mouth.

His stomach tensed with the familiar prelude of climax, the sinewy muscles of his biceps standing out in sharp relief as he clenched his fingers into tight fists, but just as he was less than half a minute from completion, the little tease abruptly released him from her mouth with a wet, erotic 'pop,' and if the blonde was a lesser man, he would have wept at the poor timing. He had been so damned close!

"Fuck- Haru!"

She watched the frustrated expression creep onto his face, and then she had the gall to giggle softly at the highly disgruntled air that surrounded him. He bared his teeth at her, but that only made the smile on her face grow some more. She had him literally in the mercy of her soft palms, but thankfully enough, she was not so devious as to leave him hanging high and dry. The brunette kissed the head of his erection with great affection, rubbing her soft lips against the swollen, mushroomed head erotically, and then she blatantly ran her tongue up his red, turgid arousal from root to tip, making sure that he could see everything that she was doing to him. His hard, blood-filled organ twitched with unspent lust, and then she gave him a desirous stare mid-lick.

By now, the look on his face was stark with hunger for her, his wiry, whipcord body straining against his bonds in an attempt to reach her, and her eyes darkened. Slowly, she retracted her tongue back into her mouth and she pulled away from his arousal. Haru pushed herself up to a sitting position carefully, never breaking eye contact with her lover. Then, she started to crawl back up the length of his body and straddled his waist once more. He was getting so desperate that the pressure of her soft bottom against his hard on was almost too much to bear, though he forced himself to still when she reached up to him and nuzzled the side of his face before brushing her lips tenderly against his. She tasted of a potent mixture of herself and him and he was filled with the mindless urge to touch her in ways that would ensure she would never be able to wash his scent off her body.

"Goshujin-sama," she spoke softly, huskily, against his mouth, her sultry gaze locked with his. "Do you wish to bed Neko-chan now?"

He nodded curtly, not trusting himself to speak. The fully rigid erection that prodded insistently against her alluringly clad backside spoke volumes, after all, and judging by the look of highly charged sexual anticipation on her face, she knew it as well.

"Okay," she whispered. "Neko-chan wants Goshujin-sama to make love to her really badly too," she admitted, and then she stretched up to his manacles and rested her fingers on the leather cuffs, concentrating briefly to channel the most minute amount of her Sun Flame through the specially custom designed locks. It took mere seconds for the manacles to recognize her Flame signature, and the very moment Belphegor was free from those damn chains, he _moved_.

One moment, she was safely perched on him, and the next, she was flat on her back on the bed and his larger body was covering her smaller one, her breath momentarily knocked out of her at his unbelievably quick reaction. She didn't even have the time to gasp when he reached down between her legs and promptly tore her panties off her, the small black scraps of ruined lace and silk fluttering haphazardly to the floor as he threw them over his shoulder. He left the rest of her lingerie alone and grabbed hold of her by the back of her stockinged knees, pulling her even lower under him. She held onto him for dear life then, quickly realizing his single minded intent to couple with her. He mounted her with little preamble and she accommodated him eagerly, and without any further foreplay whatsoever, he drove himself into her with one smooth thrust.

Haru arched into him instinctively and emitted a soft, alluring moan of pleasure.

She was so wet and felt so unbelievably good that he growled loudly with heady lust and started to move, eager to experience more of the intense carnal rapture that only came when he made love to her. He pulled out of her hot, tight sheath swiftly; the sinful glide of his erection against her highly sensitive inner walls igniting pleasure on the numerous nerve endings located there. Then, he pushed back into her soft, welcoming body with a powerful flex of his hips, forcing the tight muscles of her snug channel to part around him, squeezing him firmly with every precious inch he gained within her.

They both shuddered when he hilted himself fully in her once more, fitting together like perfect puzzle pieces.

Haru whimpered under him and wrapped her legs around his flanks, pressing close to Belphegor and blatantly enjoying the decadent intimacy, restlessly kissing his chest and the side of his neck with warm, desirous affection. The golden-haired Varia assassin curled his arm around his lover's waist and dragged her even closer to him, ducking his head and nipping a trail up the column of her neck to her jaw and lips, claiming her mouth with his own and kissing her fiercely. He was hot and insistent and she felt like she was lit on fire for him. His tongue rammed domineeringly into her mouth, mimicking the urgent, frantic way he was moving in and out of her, and she was so flushed and terribly aroused by his every action that she thought she would die if he ever stopped.

Everything seemed to feel so much more intense; colors and feelings and sensations thrown into such sharp relief that Haru didn't think she ever wanted it to end. She dug her nails reflexively into the back of his shoulders when he hit a particular spot within her that made her toes curl in reaction, and she cried out his name shakily, her voice muffled by his mouth as he swallowed her little mew of pleasure. She was so desperate and eager for his physical attention, her body moving in perfect tandem to his, so sweetly responsive in every way that he could not help but react to her special brand of seduction. The long, drugging kiss that they were engaged in made the blood pound in his veins and adrenaline rush through his entire body. He made love to her with a hard and primal intent, his larger hands gripping her tightly enough to leave bruises, holding her firmly under him as they avidly took their pleasure from each other.

Haru certainly did not mind the rough way he was handling her—she barely even noticed. The brunette kissed her lover back with an equally fierce fervor, her passion for him raw and uncontained as she struggled against him in this carnal dance as old as Time. Their tongues met and dueled wetly, their lips clinging and brushing urgently, nipping, sucking, and licking, almost as if they wanted nothing more than to devour each other whole. Belphegor pulled away then, his head bent, his golden hair shadowing the upper portions of his face, distracted by the telling quiver of his lover's lithe body as she swiftly approached her orgasm. He could feel himself nearing his own peak as well, the telltale quickening of his breathing was mirrored by her soft pants, the way he started to tense echoed how she dug her fingers into his shoulders and buried her flushed face into the side of his corded neck, her legs squeezing him so tightly, locking them together in a tangled embrace that would not be eased until they had both reached sexual fulfillment.

With a deep hiss, Belphegor increased his pace, rocking hard against her with blind, savage lust, the same all-consuming lust that Haru fully reciprocated with every answering, instinctive jerk of her hips. She could feel the pit of her stomach coiling with anticipation of what was to come next, the pressure in her womb almost unbearable as she strained for the sexual release that was so achingly near, almost within her grasp. Her whole body tingled and felt so hyper sensitized by Bel's every touch, and the brunette was so unbearably hot that she sank her teeth into her lover's shoulder, eliciting a hard, pleasured grunt from him.

The bedsprings squeaked relentlessly from their vigorous movements but neither seemed to notice, so lost in each other's sensual spell. Belphegor was completely captivated by Haru. She was such an obliging, generous lover, and he wanted even more of what she could give. The blonde dug his fingers into her slender hips and held her to him as he continued to move in and out of her forcefully, the wet, erotic sounds of their frantic mating spurring him on even more. Her face was flushed with passion, her reddened lips parted to call out his name in little breathy chants, her delicate features showing such guileless carnal rapture that he knew without a doubt that _this woman was born especially for him_.

Belphegor stiffened then, the pull of a powerful orgasm taking hold of his body quickly as he arched and drove home hard into Haru one last time. He sheathed himself in her to the hilt as she clenched around him like a tight, velvet fist, the sleek, rippling muscles of her inner walls clamping down on him like a silken vise, helplessly contracting around his turgid erection. The tight, rhythmic constriction of her already snug, slick channel felt so damn exquisite that Belphegor's vision went black for a brief second. His flanks jerked with the force of his climax, a loud, exultant growl tearing from his throat as he started to spend himself within her. He was hunkered over her smaller form, his lips slightly curled, teeth bared in a display of raw sexual pleasure even as her body greedily milked him of his essence.

She went wild under him, her own orgasm quickly overtaking her senses as well. All she could feel was _him_. The delicious heat that he emanated as well as the firm solidness of his body was reassuring and arousing to her all at once, and she never failed to marvel over how his musky, familiar scent could both relax and excite her at the same time. The pretty woman snaked her arms around her lover and held him as if she would never let him go, trembling like a newly born kitten in his embrace as she rode out the voracious tide of her climax. Her thighs were wrapped tightly around his narrow waist even as they remained intimately joined together in sexual congress, his seed flowing into her pliant, welcoming body as she purred softly and nuzzled against his chest restlessly, her sensitive passage twitching spasmodically around his erect length, prolonging the slowly fading pleasure of his orgasm even as she experienced the erotically pleasant aftershocks of her own strong climax.

He collapsed on top of her with little fanfare and she bore the brunt of his weight with no protest whatsoever, too used to how he always slept on top of her to mind. She was momentarily content to snuggle against him, her hands running up and down his back with comforting affection even as he buried his face into the side of her neck and started to suck on his favorite spot. She let him; as always, she felt so languid and relaxed after sex, and this time was no different. Haru started to kiss his chest and shoulder with lazy affection, absently listening as his breathing and heartbeat quickly slowed to normal. He was still semi-rigid and nestled snugly within her, and when he finally pulled back slightly to look at her, she stared back with heavy lidded eyes, flushed cheeks and kiss swollen lips, looking all naturally tousled and alluring.

She looked sated and well loved, and just gazing upon her sexily disheveled appearance made his body react instinctively with renewed lust, and her large doe eyes darkened slightly with answering huger when she felt him twitch inside her.

Still, the kiss she pressed against his mouth was shy and strangely sweet. It seemed that his little wildcat had turned into a contented and docile tabby kitten now that she had her wicked way with him.

He smirked slowly at her.

"I didn't know that you had a secret fetish for role playing and light bondage," he remarked slyly, his voice still husky from their activity before. His hand tugged lightly, playfully, on the cat-eared hair band that still sat on the top of her head. "_Neko-chan_, huh?"

The mildly heated inflection in his voice made it very clear that Belphegor certainly didn't mind indulging in this little side hobby of hers.

Predictably enough, she quickly flushed.

"I haven't cosplayed for the longest time, and I have never worn such skimpy costumes. This is only for a special occasion," she stressed flustered, and he looked at her archly.

"Oh? And what special occasion is that?" he enquired silkily, willing to engage in small talk with his adorable lover now that he was momentarily sated. "I certainly won't mind a repeat performance, that's for sure."

Above her growing embarrassment over his apparent approval—and likely endorsement—of her sex play, she gave him a surprised stare.

"Isn't today your birthday?"

Belphegor paused briefly at that. He even looked mildly startled. Oh right, today was the twenty-second of December.

"Now that you reminded me, it does seem like it." He shrugged carelessly, looking like he could hardly be bothered. "I forgot."

Haru stared at her nonchalant lover. Forgot? How does one forget their own birth date? It seemed that Lussuria was right; Belphegor would not have expected anything from her even if she hadn't prepared any present to give to him.

The look on her face must have told him volumes, for he spoke up again.

"I have not celebrated this day for a very long time. I don't see how it is important at all."

This time around, Haru really did gape at him. For someone like her, who had spent all her birthdays surrounded by friends and family, his careless disregard was almost too much.

"Of course it is important!" she argued back immediately. "You were born on this day! Geez, at least show a little gratitude to your parents for giving birth to you! And although your enemies might not agree, I, for one, am immensely thankful! I wouldn't have met you otherwise, so that's why you must at least acknowledge your own birthday. I cannot believe you just _forgot_," Haru trailed off at last in a disgruntled mutter, only to see him just staring down at her like she was some newly discovered species of protozoan.

"What?" she asked, momentarily bewildered by his sudden silence. He was also no longer smiling. Had she said something wrong?

Then he spoke.

"I never celebrate my birthday because there has never been anyone to celebrate it with. It's ridiculous to have a party with only yourself as an attendee, and as you can see, I grew out of it at a very young age."

She could see that it really did not matter to him either way, but then again, you cannot miss things you never had, and Haru shook her head again. She raised her arms and placed her hands on both sides of his face, a determined look on her face.

"Well, I'm celebrating with you now," she told him firmly. "And if you will let me, I will celebrate your birthday with you every year from now on."

Before he could respond to that, she leaned in and kissed him earnestly on the mouth, an action that he wasn't yet stunned enough not to reciprocate. He was quick to kiss her back, his own hands coming to rest on the sides of her head, holding her in place as he pried open her mouth and slipped his tongue inside, briefly and lustfully frenching her until she pulled away reluctantly at last.

"Happy Birthday, Bel," she told him breathlessly, though the soft, sincere glow in her eyes was simply unmistakable. As usual, she was so easily sentimental and it made him almost uncomfortable to witness the gamut of emotions that ran across her expressive features, but this time around, he could not look away from her.

It was turning out to be a rather surreal moment for the blonde, and since he was obviously still not comfortable with putting a name to the growing feeling of…_something_…that expanded in his chest each time she was around him, he merely changed the subject.

To Haru's surprise, he simply popped her out of her corset, allowing her breasts to spring free from their previously tight confines. He lowered his head and tasted one of the small, pink buds, and she inhaled sharply at his knowing ministrations, her tight passage ripping around his hardening shaft in instinctive reaction. He smiled slowly against her breast.

"It seems that I haven't fully unwrapped my 'present' yet," he purred, quite happily to be nuzzling her chest. "I shall endeavor to uncover every inch of my delicious little gift."

The seductive way he spoke made his intentions very clear to Haru. The brunette felt her eyes widen, her heart slowly starting to beat faster again. It was apparent that she wasn't going to get much sleep tonight, but she definitely wouldn't be complaining much about that.

Belphegor lifted his head slowly to look at his lover's reaction. She was looking quite flushed and anticipatory of the evening's program, but still, he didn't think that she was anywhere near as pleased as he was right now. He hooked his index finger under her chin and tilted her face to the light. She looked so irresistibly sexy in this Neko-girl costume, and he had immensely enjoyed the birthday reward she so generously bestowed upon him.

Next year, he would demand a school girl outfit for her, but for now, there was a little cat who called for his attention.

"Now, my little sex kitten, come and satisfy your master."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

My apologies for the slightly late update!

Normally, I write at least five chapters in advance of every latest installment I put up on FF Net so as to maintain a relatively stable upload interval, but my terrible muse struck quite suddenly and I was inspired (read: badgered) to write this chapter last minute and have only gotten it completed last night. My wonderful beta had rushed to proofread this ridiculously long installment at my request and as usual, she has done a wonderful job! Bow down to her greatness, you minion readers!

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Even though it's still quite far from Belphegor's birthday, I thought that this chapter would act as a nice interlude before I introduce my next arc, which is going to be somewhat longer than the rest. So for those who enjoy read smut, I hope you were at least somewhat entertained by this!

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By the way, this installment is most definitely the longest that I have written for 'Of Sparrows and Princes' to date, but I have to stress that this is an exception! I may or may not be writing chapters anywhere near this length in the future, but rest assured that I will keep the word count to be at least around 5000 words and more—I'm too longwinded to stop at anywhere shorter!

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Now on to the chapter itself.

As we all know, not much is mentioned in the official back story for Belphegor in canon-verse and so most of his past is still pretty much a mystery (the awful curse of being a side character!). I have to admit that I have taken blatant advantage of Amano-sensei's oversight to weave my own version of Belphegor in this fic, but all of you know that already. In this chapter, the part where he does not celebrate his birthday since at a very young age was made up by yours truly. That might not be true in canon-verse of course, but I feel that it could happen.

After all, he was only eight when he joined Varia, still pretty much an obnoxious little brat when most of his colleagues were at least teenagers already. Who's going to celebrate his birthday with him? I really cannot imagine Xanxus in a party hat no matter how young he was in the past; the man possessed such an intense personality that he was probably born with a scowl on his face!

So yes, we can all speculate whether if they actually threw birthday parties and had Xanxus dispense cakes and give out party favors in the Varia, but for this fic at least, that did not happen!

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I'm not sure if any of you have noticed, but there's a bit of a time paradox in this chapter compared to the rest of the fic, and I assure you that it was a mistake and a lack of foresight on my part.

In the mini-Bel arc, I have mentioned that it's the beginning of spring, but now, in this chapter, it's suddenly the twenty-second of December and winter all over again. And next chapter, as you will undoubtedly find out very soon, the season will be back to spring, so for those who pay keen attention to detail, please ignore this little oversight?

As mentioned earlier, I was suddenly struck by the inspiration to write a birthday fic for Belphegor, but unfortunately, I have already planned out the timeline for my plot and that could not be changed, so please make do, ladies and gentlemen!

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For those who are unaware, 'Goshujin-sama' means 'Master-sama' in Japanese.

'Neko-chan' is 'Cat-chan' in Japanese.

And 'Min kattunge' means 'my kitten' in Swedish, I think.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

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As for Belphegor suddenly speaking in Swedish, well, he is a Prince of a small European country after all; so it makes sense for him to know the languages of the other nations that surround that of his own, even if I seldom exemplify this little fact.

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I know that the 'Cat girl and Master' theme is somewhat overdone, but I was greatly entertained by this notion when writing this chapter. To think that it was Haru who got to tie down Belphegor first, and not the other way around, haha!

And yes, don't ask where Lussuria got the handcuffs at such short notice. Even I have no idea myself!

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Last but not least, thank you all very much for the wonderful reviews and kind support! I was very heartened to learn that most of you would not mind reading more of this fic. I shall endeavor to match all of your expectations!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	30. Chapter 30

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6369

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/09/10

**

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**

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

The mission was a bust.

Their informant had either been given the wrong information or been compromised entirely, and as a result, the entire team had been led into an ambush. He had lost a quarter of his men within the blink of an eye, and when he quickly realized that they had fallen into a trap and were surrounded by opponents that were too many and too strong to fight against, he had swiftly called for a retreat.

He had been amongst the last to vacate the area, obligated by his position as Commander to buy time for his men to escape, and his enemies had made sure to draw every drop of blood they could get in exchange for his sacrifice. With the support of Mink, he had managed to take out a fair number of the opposing forces, purposefully creating chaos and discord as a distraction before he slipped out of the main attack area. His men had to damn near drag him to safety by then; he had gotten hit head on by a Rain Flame-based attack amongst others, and had been badly bleeding and lacerated as a result.

"Sir! We appear to have lost the pursuers!" one of his soldier reported swiftly from the front of the all terrain vehicle that Belphegor was riding pillion on.

"Status," the blonde barked out harshly, gritting his teeth when the rough, bumpy movements of his ride jostled his various injuries. He was bleeding all over the damn place and it was annoying as hell. Pairing off and riding their own ATVs, the rest of his men fell into standard escort formation around his vehicle, grimly looking for their enemies as they made their swift getaway.

"We have lost roughly a third of our men, but we are still functional. We are approaching the enemies' border and will switch transport vehicles soon, Sir!"

Belphegor cursed inwardly at the news. He had expected the casualty rate to be roughly as reported, but it was still irritating as hell to have it confirmed. Xanxus was definitely going to bitch about it, and it was such a waste of good manpower. The Prince swore to himself that he would personally maim and kill the bloody idiot who thought it was a good idea to betray the Vongola.

"Give me that," the blonde snatched the military grade ear piece from the soldier and replaced it on his ear. He had lost his communicator during the battle and needed a replacement to interact directly with his team. After hissing out several orders and precautions for the men to take, he promptly disengaged, somewhat pale and lightheaded and breathing heavily. The effects of blood loss were becoming glaringly noticeable and damn troublesome as well. Belphegor estimated that he had at most a few hours before he became completely nonfunctional and delusional from his decidedly _inconvenient_ ailment.

Double damn.

The profanities that flew through his head would take too much energy on his part to convert into sound, so Belphegor fumed silently instead. Curled around his neck securely, Mink took over the duty of watching out for danger for its master. The man in question preoccupied himself with homicidal images of inflicting mutilation and life threatening injuries on the traitor who had landed his team in this predicament, _who had dared to force him to shed his royal blood_. It was an effective method to prevent his mind from shutting down in an instinctive, self preserving effort to keep from aggravating his deep wounds.

Belphegor snarled silently with rage, his mood murderous.

It was going to be a long few hours.

* * *

Haru was jostled awake from her sleep somewhere around three in the morning. The quiet, but no less insistent knocking on her bedroom door roused her from her dreams, and momentarily disoriented, she stared confusedly at the empty spot beside her before she remembered that her lover was out on an assignment. She reached out to turn on the table lamp on her side of the night stand, and a glance at the small antique clock sitting beside it revealed the time.

Another urgent knock disrupted her bewildered thoughts—who was at her door so early in the morning?

Disheveled from sleep, Haru slipped out of bed and quickly answered the summon.

Francesca stood at the other side, and the middle-aged housekeeper dropped a quick curtsy of greeting towards the young woman. Haru dismissed the act of formality that Bel's servants always insisted on performing, instead focusing on the anxiety and tense worry that she had seen on the other female's face.

"What is going on, Francesca-san? Are you alright?"

The servant nodded swiftly and barely refrained from wringing her hands together in a troubled manner.

"Lady Haru, please come with me to the infirmary. His Highness has just returned from his mission, and he is badly injured."

* * *

An hour passed with painstaking slowness as Haru waited outside the hospital wing together with Mortigor and Francesca, as well as a handful of Belphegor's men. Lussuria, accompanied by Levi, had made a brief stop earlier to speak to her and also learn of her lover's condition before they left to prepare for the retaliatory strike against the faithless ally that had turned on them.

The other Famiglia had meant to eliminate the Varia Storm Unit Commander and his men in this falsified mission, but they had severely underestimated the battle prowess of Belphegor and the soldiers he led under him. What was supposed to be an unexpected and tragic 'accident' had reared back and bit the nefarious and backstabbing Mafia clan right in the backside, and unlike their bumbling, amateurish attempts at subterfuge and sabotage, the Varia Assassination team would make sure that their senseless betrayal would be paid for in full.

The Crown Prince Belphegor might be the second youngest of the Varia Commanders, but he had rightfully earned his rank as well as the title 'Genius of Varia.' Within moments of having a trap sprung around him and his men, he had correctly identified what was going on, and had also quickly gleaned the true motives and intentions of those who threatened his existence and that of his team, the wolves in sheeps' skins that mingled perfidiously amongst their Vongola Famiglia.

The vicious treachery of their over assuming ally could not be forgiven, not to mention Belphegor had been pissed as hell that they had intended to use him as a callous sacrifice to sow discord between the Vongola and her other allies.

_He was a fucking Prince; did they really think that he would die so easily by their feeble hands? _

Those backstabbing bastards would rue the day they crossed him, and they would regret not finishing him off when they had the chance. Belphegor had returned to the Varia Headquarters and had proceeded to paint the floors of the hallways red with his own blood, stark crimson reminders of his growing rage, moving purposefully to Xanxus' office to give his leader all the details that the latter would need to fully destroy their enemy. He did not let his alarmed Butler attend to him until after he had completed his self appointed task, and only then did he allow himself to stumble.

His knees bent drunkenly, struggling to support his weight, his body near its limit even though he wanted nothing more than to personally slaughter the motherfucker who had led him and his men into a deathtrap. Loyal as ever, Mortigor had stepped in before his master could fall flat on his face from the drastic blood loss, swiftly taking charge and rushing the younger male to the hospital wing.

Francesca had slipped away in the ensuing chaos to fetch His Highness' Consort. Lady Haru would be most concerned when she learned of what had happened to the Prince, not to mention she was rather certain that her master would demand to have his lover by his side when he finally came to.

As expected, their Prince's lady had been extremely worried when she learned of what happened. Even though it was in the middle of the night, she woke immediately and went to the infirmary without a sound of protest, hurrying there so quickly that Francesca almost had trouble keeping up, her brow furrowing, her eyes reflecting her anxiety.

Mortigor had assured Lady Haru that their Prince was in capable hands, and together, they had simply waited outside the hospital wing with a few of Bel's soldiers, where Haru quickly learned bits and pieces of how the supposedly routine mission had turned out to be an ambush meant to kill her lover.

The fact that he had survived and also brought back most of his men spoke for his strength and skills.

The doctor emerged from the ward then, after an hour or so of patching up Belphegor's various wounds, and he had assured everyone that the Storm Varia was in no danger. Bel's injuries were no longer life threatening now that they were sewed closed and the blood flow had been staunched. He had also been put on intravenous therapy to prevent dehydration and also had a blood transfusion to replenish some of the body fluids that he had lost.

His team cheered with relief, only to be frowned upon by the doctor for being noisy. They also started to disperse to get some rest themselves, gratified by the knowledge that the man to whom they owed their lives to was in no danger of dying. Haru, Mortigor and Francesca were allowed into the ward to visit the Prince, and they quickly did so.

Haru did not know what to expect, but she was surely surprised by the sight before her when she entered the room that the medical staff had housed Belphegor in. Her lover was almost wrapped up like a mummy from neck down, and judging by the grumpy scowl on his somewhat groggy appearance, he was definitely not enjoying his predicament.

Haru went to his side automatically, running her eyes over him and trying to picture just how hard the battle must have been earlier to have reduced him to this state.

His two main servants bowed and curtsied respectively from the foot of his bed.

"Your Highness," they greeted with sedate subservience. "Welcome back."

There was none of the urgent worry that Haru had glimpsed earlier on their faces when they were all waiting outside the wards. Francesca and Mortigor had composed their agitated emotions and compacted them away in a manner that Haru could not comprehend and would never be able to accomplish.

Their Prince was alive and would be well again as time passed. He would heal completely; there was no need to further burden their master with their own feelings of concern and anxiety.

Haru watched Bel to see his response to such a bland and calm reception from his trusted servants, only to realize that the blonde had not reacted at all. It made her wonder if this was the norm between the formal, stilted relationship between the Prince and his stewards.

It just seemed so lonely from Haru's point of view, if her lover had always had to wake up from whatever injuries he incurred in the past to the neutral, impassive facades of his loyal staff, deliberately placing a distance between their master and themselves because that was how things had always been done in the royal household.

It must also have been difficult for Mortigor and Francesca, to hide away their true feelings because to do anything else would have been unseemly and unprofessional. It wasn't as if they were in the position to scold their Prince for making them worry so, after all.

"We will take over your care from now on, Your Highness," Francesca murmured evenly. "Please excuse me; I will speak to the attending doctor now."

Belphegor's housekeeper left discreetly.

"Please rest in ease, Your Highness," Mortigor spoke in his usual placid manner. "The staff will be on full alert until you are sufficiently healed. I will make the arrangements to have you moved back to the comfort of your private quarters first thing in the morning. For now, I will escort Lady Haru back-"

"Oh no, Mortigor-san," Haru interjected quickly, shaking her head. "If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to stay here with Bel."

The stoic Butler gazed at the young woman who had all but stuck herself to his Prince's side since they came in.

"Lady Haru, you need your rest," the older man replied at last. "It will not do for you to fall sick-"

This time, Belphegor interrupted before his manservant could finish.

"She stays with me," the golden-haired male spoke for the very first time, even though his voice sounded rough and rusty. Haru automatically poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the nightstand and sat on the edge by her lover's side, carefully guiding the bendy straw towards his mouth.

Surprisingly enough, Belphegor did not pitch a fit at such careful treatment as he was wont to do in the past, when his servants attempted to care for him whenever he came back injured. The Crown Prince did not appear to experience the usual agitation he always got whenever he was reduced to a helpless state and required aid from someone else to fulfill usually mundane matters; in fact, he didn't even seemed to notice this time around.

It was apparent that Lady Haru was mostly safe from the temper tantrums that Prince Belphegor often threw whenever he became temporarily incapacitated from battle, and with that, Mortigor respectfully and silently withdrew from the room, ever as discreet as only the best Butlers should be. He would be personally standing guard over His Highness tonight and would make sure that there would be no further attempts on the younger man's life now that he was at his weakest.

Haru replaced the glass to the nightstand when her lover had finally quenched his thirst. She returned her gaze to him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Belphegor looked grouchy and petulant, and his scowl deepened at her ridiculous question.

"Don't ask stupid questions," he snapped irritably.

Haru frowned slightly at his short temper, but chose not to give in to her own anger. She had been anxious and tired as well for the past few hours and therefore her emotions were quick to trigger, but he was probably feeling worse off than she was at the moment and he was right; it was a rather stupid question.

Without a word, Haru peeled off the wrap that she had shrugged into hastily earlier on in their bedroom and laid the thin material across the back of a chair beside the bed. She hadn't even changed out of her sleepwear before following Francesca to wait outside the ward for news of Bel's wellbeing, and as such, was still mostly dressed for bed. She kicked off her slippers and easily got into the Queen sized bed that her injured lover was currently resting in, lying on the side where he was not connected to the various machineries and IV bags by narrow tubes and catheters.

He watched as she neared him, but did nothing to push her away. She was careful to avoid the wide expanses of snowy, sterile bandages that swathed his torso, and managed to find a way to wrap her arm around his waist, gently nuzzling his neck, the side of his face. He felt her lips brush against the side of his mouth in silent apology, and then she settled against him, laying her head on his shoulder, her tense form relaxing for the first time that night.

"I'm glad that you came back. I was worried," she told him quietly, simply, with no recriminations or blame whatsoever in her voice for his bad tempered behavior.

It quickly occurred to him that she must have been waiting for him all this while, stiff with anxiety as the medical staff worked on him, and he quickly felt like a heel for taking his anger out on her. He had been understandably pissed when he woke up and found himself in such a sorry predicament, and was quite furious because he would obviously be out of commission for a few weeks at least, which meant that he would not be able to personally exterminate the filthy traitor who had tried to do him in. He had been silently stewing in his anger before his lover came in with his trusted staff, and not surprisingly, he had lashed out the moment he was given a chance, even if Haru hadn't legitimately deserved any of it.

She had taken his anger gracefully all the same, and instead of returning the unjustly delivered tantrum back to him, she had soothed him with her presence and the gentleness of her touch, telling him without words that she forgave him for his unsightly temper and unmeaning harsh words. She said nothing else, did not scream or cry or yell at him for the worry that he had caused her, simply content to remain by his side, and he looked at her after awhile to find that she had already fallen asleep.

His irrational anger and the fury that normally filled him whenever he was laid out helpless and needed to do something (or kill someone) quickly subsided in the comforting presence of his lover. She was all warmth and trust and understanding, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to remain cranky and belligerent around her when she didn't want him to. She was making him soft, even his box animal easily became putty in her gentle hands, but he didn't particularly mind enough to consider separating himself from her. That was unthinkable; she was his woman after all, and if he thought like that, it made sense that she could calm his tantrums. He had willingly _given_ her the ability to affect him—he sure as hell was not forced to do so.

Wordlessly, Belphegor moved Haru nearer to him, and even though it was uncomfortable for him to move much (the local anesthesia that had been administered to him was wearing out fast), it still felt good to have her soft, pliant body lying alongside his. She shifted slightly in her sleep, curling trustingly, instinctively, into him, a soft sigh escaping her lips. He lifted a bandaged arm and wrapped it around her, his eyes closing as he finally lowered his guard and allowed himself to succumb to a restful sleep.

After all, he was home, in the warm circle of her arms.

* * *

When Haru woke up the next day, it was already late morning, nearing afternoon.

Her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the darkened atmosphere of the curtained room, and it took her awhile to remember where she was, the events that had transpired the night before that had led to her current position.

Haru turned her head slightly to the left where she had felt the warm presence of a body laying beside her, and sure enough, there was Belphegor. The stillness of his features told her that he was still asleep, and when she shifted slightly to stretch, he tightened his hold on her, effectively keeping her still beside him.

She decided to remain by his side until he woke up. She lay pliant in his arms, turning her head into the crook of his neck and inhaling his familiar scent. The powerful, sterile disinfectants and the faint metallic rust of blood nearly overpowered the comforting smell that was uniquely him, and Haru was once again reminded of the close shave that he had had last night. Squeezing her eyes shut, she dug her nose into his skin and concentrated on isolating his scent from the rest. She had almost succeeded in her endeavor when he groaned and started to wake up, and she lifted her head quickly to see if he needed any help.

Unlike her, he immediately remembered his less than stellar performance the night before, which was the direct cause of his current predicament right at this moment. Belphegor woke up scowling.

The thin cuts and the discolored bruises on his face somehow looked worse in the morning light. Haru was certain that his fierce glower was doing nothing for the injuries on his face, and she told him so too.

"Stop that," she ordered, reaching up with her fingers to smooth away the frown lines on his pale, aristocratic features. "You are going to aggravate the wounds on your face if you keep scowling like this."

He wanted to snap at her that it was his face they were talking about and he had every right to do what he wanted with it, but she was looking at him with a small frown on her own face, and it wasn't hard for him to see the mild hint of concern in her eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," he muttered crossly. "I'm not dead yet."

"Well, not from lack of trying, I'm sure!"

She cuffed him lightly on the side of his head then, and he started to glare at her again. She didn't seem to mind though, since he was now all bark and no bite, laid out flat on the ward bed.

"I will worry about you as much as I want," she informed him primly, and then her eyes softened and she was tenderly kissing each and every cut and bruise on his face.

He looked somewhat incredulous, although he made no move to stop her. Did she suffer from split personality disorder?

"Are you out of your damn mind?"

That quickly earned him another smack upside the head. He started to cuss loudly, but Haru was pleased to note that he no longer looked murderous as earlier. No, he was only moderately pissed off now.

Haru pulled back to survey her handiwork. Her lover was definitely sulking, but at least he was somewhat more approachable now, as compared to earlier when he had been projecting an all around thunderous aura. He was as fit for polite company as he would ever be today now that she had distracted him somewhat from his grumpy thoughts. At least, he would be less likely to terrorize the nurses and doctors who had to look after him later.

Satisfied, Haru was about to get off the bed to look for Mortigor to make the arrangements when Bel pulled her back to him. She promptly lost her balance and teetered towards him, a small gasp escaping her as she lost her balance. She managed not to fall directly on him somehow, and he took advantage of her momentary preoccupation to capture her mouth with his, kissing her heatedly, insistently, almost as if he had every intention of sucking the life right out of her.

She quickly responded with equal enthusiasm, though she was careful not to further aggravate his injuries. The small sounds she made at the back of her throat were sexy as hell, and she smelled so damn good, as usual, that he did not want to stop kissing her. She was half crouched, half lying over him, her fingers running through his hair, and he was getting swiftly aroused by the way her small, addictive mouth was working against his, her tongue aggressively pursuing his own, the tantalizing promise that laid unspoken in her willing, eager behavior.

Miura Haru definitely had her ways of distracting her lover, alright.

It went to the point where Bel was trying to figure out how to get his seductive little minx under him without jostling his broken wrist when she pulled away abruptly, her features flushed and her eyes glazed. She looked near ready to tear off his clothes herself, but quickly returned to her senses when she remembered his injured state.

His left wrist was broken and was set in a splint; he had wounds wide enough to require stitches on his arm, chest and thigh, and all in all, really was in no physical condition for lovemaking right now.

For a brief moment, she scowled with disappointment. From the look of things, she would have to wait at least a week or so before it was even remotely plausible for them to have sex, and she certainly wasn't thrilled by her own prognosis. Judging by the excited tent in Bel's pants, he would most definitely share her sentiments as well.

Belphegor was also no longer suitable for polite company, thanks to the massive erection that he was currently sporting. For someone who at the moment had a plethora of medical drugs running through his system, it was definitely impressive that Belphegor could still 'get it up,' so to speak.

Haru did not know whether to be frustrated or to be further aroused by the blatant display of her lover's enthusiasm, especially since it was quite apparent to her that she would not be receiving any satisfaction from him anytime soon, though not from his lack of trying.

He caught her wrist with his uninjured right hand and pulled her back down for another carnal, all too sexual kiss, one that she gave into with a small moan.

"I want you," he hissed against her mouth, his voice thick with lust.

He attempted to drag her over him, but she resisted.

"Ride me," Belphegor barked out, his features taut and unapologetically fierce with sexual tension, the delicious sight tempting his lover more than he knew. Haru shook her head.

"No, I won't risk you reopening your wounds for this," she told him breathlessly, trying to control her raging hormones but with little effect. Her body seldom did what she wanted whenever Belphegor was in the vicinity, and it had been two weeks since he had left for his disastrous assignment—_two long weeks since he had last touched her_.

"I don't care," the blonde bit out mulishly, the need to couple with her overwhelming. Possessiveness and sex were always on the forefront of his mind whenever it came to her, and this time was no different. "Fuck. _Now_."

"Well, I care," she informed him in almost snappish tone, nipping his jaw almost as if punishing him for his pushy manner. He groaned huskily. "I care very much for your wellbeing."

She snaked her hand down towards his pants and slipped under the sterile, hospital issue material, swiftly locating his stiff, throbbing erection. She wrapped her fingers around him and gave him a firm squeeze, and then she took him out from the waistband of his trousers. He growled.

She shushed him.

He was velvet covered steel in her hand, his hardness searing a delicious heat onto her palm. Haru licked her lips, crawling slowly to the lower portion of his anatomy. His penis was a hard, angry red, and when a drop of pre-cum coalesced at its mushroomed head, she ducked her head down and licked it off daintily, swiping her soft, warm tongue against his sensitive slit. Her lover groaned at the exquisite sensation, and with a small smile, she started to kiss her way down his erection, making sure to use her tongue and lips as she worked her way down from tip to base.

Her left hand slipped further down to his testicles, gently massaging, playing with the twin globes that sat at the bottom of his phallus. She moved back up his hard length then, and with little warning, engulfed him in the moist, tight heat of her mouth. She was thrilled with his texture, dragging her tongue over his veined underside, taking in as much of him as she could. She slipped him into her until she could feel him hit the back of her throat, and then her right hand wrapped around the rest of him that she could not take in. She hollowed out her cheeks, creating a delicious suction with her mouth, and then she started to move, raising and lowering her head rhythmically over his rigid shaft.

He moaned at the decadent feelings that she wrought, his flanks tensed, his stomach clenching as she continued to suck him off with decided enthusiasm. She worked magic on his raging erection; the delightful pressure of her mouth and the sleek, heady actions of her nimble fingers against his erect organ damn near made his vision turn blank from the sheer pleasure of it all. His uninjured hand curled tightly into the sheets of the bed, curbing his urge to tangle his fingers into her hair and arch himself even deeper into her inviting mouth, and he was panting hard.

Haru could feel him quivering under her, the growly, husky sounds he made in reaction to her tender ministrations extremely arousing to hear. It turned her on to pleasure him, as she had always known, and she sped up in her movements when she sensed him nearing his orgasm. He was beginning to go taut with tension, his lean body preparing itself for the sexual release that she had been preparing him for.

It took little else on her part to push him over the edge. He hissed her name harshly when he came, the near imperceptible jerk of his hips a prelude to the warm, sticky fluid that filled her mouth in throbbing pulses. The pearly, viscous drops of his essence tasted strangely sweet and salty against her tongue, and she swallowed instinctively, draining him until he had nothing else to give. He was languorously relaxed by then, the earlier tension in him flushed away with his satisfying climax. He did groan with lazy pleasure when she proceeded to lick him clean before allowing his now semi-rigid form to slide out from her mouth.

Haru tucked him back into his pants before slowly straightening up from her crouch to sit beside her sated lover, a mildly surprised looked on her face. She touched her fingers curiously to her lips, the same rosy pair of lips that had been wrapped around his erection earlier. The delicious mental image quickly caused his penis to give a lively twitch of renewed interest.

She glanced at him.

"Strange. That wasn't nearly as unpleasant an experience as I imagined," she remarked. "I think I have a crick in my neck though."

He refrained from replying to her ridiculous comments. For someone who had just performed an incredible blow job on him mere minutes ago, she sure didn't look that way. In fact, he wouldn't have believed it himself if he hadn't been present for it. She was still in the habit of wearing those prim, cute little cartoon nightdresses to bed and hardly looked the role of a foxy seductress, but that only showed how well she hid that sensual streak of hers, as opposed to some of his past lovers who all but flaunted theirs right up his face rather irritatingly.

In that manner of speaking, he much preferred his Haru. Besides, all that innocent and ladylike packaging tended to give him a pleasant surprise every now and then whenever that sexual side of her snuck out, so it was a win-win scenario no matter how he saw it.

He reached for her then, his uninjured hand sliding under the modest hemline of her sleepwear, fully intending to return the pleasure that she had given him. She quickly moved away before he could even get past the barrier of her panties though, but not before he managed to swipe his fingers against the dampened material at the junction between her legs. She trembled at his touch, her face flushing even further as her sensitive flesh easily registered the gliding whisper of his familiar digits.

It was apparent that the carnal little act she had performed for him had affected her in ways that she was trying not to show him. It had aroused her to bring him to his orgasm, and he started to smirk. He beckoned her over.

"Come here," he drawled with silky promise. "I will make you feel good."

She looked momentarily tempted to do exactly that. After all, he had been the only one who could make her feel such a heightened sense of sexual awareness, and he had been the only one who knew how to make that go away as well. But then she panned back her admittedly tunnel vision and quickly saw the bigger picture again.

Bel behaved as if there was nothing out of the ordinary, perverted and sharp tongued as he always was, but he had just narrowly escaped an ambush. He suffered from a broken wrist, several deep lacerations on various parts of his body that had required numerous stitches, and he had also lost an alarming amount of blood.

Even though the doctors had declared that he was in no danger of dying, her lover was obviously nowhere near his usual healthy, robust self. His complexion was paler than usual; he was probably all drugged up still with an assortment of medicine and was therefore quite weak. In hindsight, it really wasn't such a good idea to get him too excited and/or let him overexert himself.

Well, it was a bit too late for the former, though she could still prevent the latter from happening.

Haru shook her head quickly, edging even further away from the shameless temptation that was Belphegor.

"I don't want to be known as the one to do you in with sex, thank you very much."

He appeared quite intrigued by the possibility, and leered at her, the idiot man.

"Well, I won't mind; it would be a good way to go. _Come here_," he repeated once more, softly, and there was a heady, distracting quality in his voice that made her want to heed him immediately.

But Haru snapped out of it quickly and frowned at him instead.

"No, Bel," she told him again, more resolutely this time. "You are a patient, so act like one. Lie still and rest, damn it."

"I'm not such an invalid that I cannot satisfy my own woman," he retorted adamantly, but Haru was rather certain that he only wanted an excuse to touch her some more.

Bel was also becoming more and more casual when it came to claiming her as his lover, not that she minded very much. He was never going to be the type of man who would coo sweet pet names in her ear, and to be perfectly honest, she didn't want him to be either. He belonged to her as much as she belonged to him, and if she thought of their relationship like this, his possessiveness of her wasn't exactly unwelcomed.

Still, Haru felt that she had to put her foot down every once in awhile to keep him from getting ahead of himself. Her lover had the most irritating tendency of blowing past people and various obstacles in order to get his way, and just thinking of it made her feel a bit disgruntled.

"I can take care of my own needs too, you know," she muttered back, trying her best to be as firm about it as she possibly could. She wondered if he caught the faint waver in her voice though, but hurriedly did away with the thought. "I'm going to bring in Mortigor-san now, so you had better behave."

Unfortunately for her, he easily heard the words that she did not say. He was definitely not keen to follow her change in topic now.

"I'd be good if you let me see you touch yourself."

There was no mistaking the lewd, suggestive meaning in his quiet, husky voice, just as he had no doubt that she planned to excuse herself to relieve her mounting sexual tension in private.

He was turning her into a pervert as well, Haru thought with mild chagrin and quivering arousal. Why else would the mental image that he had painted with his words made her knees go weak and the liquid warmth between her legs intensify?

Of course, it hadn't helped that the last time he made her masturbate in front of him, they had had sex the whole night long after that.

Haru had no doubt he remembered that evening very well.

The brunette shakily clamped down on her less than pure thoughts and resolutely climbed out of his bed instead.

"No," she refused him quickly, the horny bastard. She had no doubt that he would just get quickly aroused all over again and that would just defeat her entire purpose of getting him off in the first place.

Besides, two could play this little game of his.

"I'm going back to get a nice, warm, _relaxing_ bath," she continued archly. "And you are going to stay right here."

He growled at her, unamused. "I'm going to get you for this, you little tease."

It wasn't her fault that his over imaginative mind had probably drawn up not so innocent pictures of her doing god knows what in their bathroom, which might not be too far from the truth this time, at least.

Haru made her way to the door, tossing her head back and throwing a small, saucy smile at her lover. She was taking full advantage of his current incapacity to retaliate, and it sure was fun getting his goat.

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind doing whatever you want when you get better," she enticed with meaningful sensuality, and he quickly caught on to what she was trying to do, the cunning little minx.

He chuckled rustily, his desire for her seeming to increase threefold at her cute intentions. How very deliciously clever of her, to deftly make use of his lust for her to bargain for his full commitment to making himself healthy as swiftly as possible.

"Oh, I will get well soon," he promised in a silky purr. "And by the time I'm through with you, I will make sure that you won't be able to walk for at least a day."

It was then that Haru started to wonder if perhaps she had used the wrong incentive to get Bel swiftly on the road to recovery.

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Sorry for the delay in update, people! School has restarted recently and I have been buried in assignments for the past few weeks, an unfortunate occurrence that will most likely be the case for the rest of the school term as well. Still, I will definitely try my best to update this fic as constantly as I can, and will make sure to upload new chapters biweekly at least, so do look out for those!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Yes, this latest installment marks the beginning of the next story arc, even if it does look just like a typical smut chapter from yours truly. You will see what I mean soon enough!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	31. Chapter 31

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7084

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 09/10/10

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**Chapter Thirty One**

* * *

Archduke Alaisdair Rianorix Rousseau was not a happy man.

He had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night and had been most understandably displeased to learn that his King had gotten himself into some sort of trouble—again.

Having to video conference with a horde of ruffled royal advisors and various upset members of the parliament at three in the morning had not been a pleasant thing to do. Having to reassure the abovementioned group of people without even knowing what the hell was going on himself had almost been an act of futility if not for his charisma and his innate ability to appear as if he had everything in control even when in actuality he had no idea what Belphegor had done to himself this time. Still, it had taken more than two hours before he finally managed to smooth things over with the bunch of fussing elders, and by the time he was done, Alaisdair was sleep deprived and understandably annoyed with how his day had started out.

He had been so annoyed that he promptly ordered his private jet to be prepared for a trip to Italy, fully intending to 'have words' with that idiot King of his. This was not the first time that Belphegor had gotten himself into trouble and Alaisdair had to bail him out in the form of soothing the indignant squawking of the royal advisors, and it was getting old fast.

Even though Belphegor was fulfilling most of his important state duties and their country was thriving under the policies that he had thought up and implemented, he was still in a rather precarious position when it came to the small but powerful group of traditionalists who served in the Royal Council.

Belphegor was, after all, the last of his line, and he had incurred the displeasure of quite a few of the older aristocrats with his seemingly disinterested attitude when it came to his royal obligation to his kingdom. He should have been crowned King years ago, but they had been unable to get him to return to their country for the ascension ceremony, something that they were still rather ticked with.

Then there was the galling fact that he was a member of an Italian Mafia, was constantly in danger thanks to the ridiculous assassin occupation that he insisted on putting above his royal bloodline, was still unmarried despite being the grand old age of twenty six, and still had no heir…

It was the usual few grouses that the elders simply loved to bring up whenever they had the opportunity to do so, and as the Crown Prince's unofficial right hand man/spokesman/general go to person, Alaisdair was usually the first one to hear it whenever Belphegor went and did something reckless. The poor man had been on the receiving end of the same spiel so many times that he could repeat it word for word by now.

Alaisdair was getting very tired of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, and by the time he arrived at the Varia Castle the aristocrat was looking quite irritated by the entire situation. The dark-haired man could think of at least a few things that Belphegor could have done to stop this unpleasant situation from continuing, but of course the blonde was going to be difficult about it.

When he was shown into Belphegor's room, the man in question was lounging on his bed like a King, pun unintended, visibly bruised and covered in bandages but apparently still well enough to be barking out orders to his frazzled servants as they ran about fulfilling his many demands. His chosen Consort, the pretty Miura Haru, was sitting beside him as patiently as she could, though she looked mildly exasperated by her lover's abrasive behavior.

Like Belphegor, she quickly caught sight of his presence at the door, and whereas the golden-haired man scowled, Haru merely tipped her head slightly to the side before she gave the other male a faint smile of recognition.

"Oh! It's Alaisdair-san! Hello," she greeted with a distinctly pleasant Japanese accent, and in light of his current annoyance at Belphegor, Alaisdair decided to pay attention to this young woman who had captured the affections of his King so completely instead. She looked more or less the same as when he had last seen her a few months ago in Paris, and even though he had once wondered just what it was about this relatively plain-looking female that had attracted Belphegor's attention, he was also beginning to see the allure in her gentle, unassuming manners and innocent, un-coquettish ways.

It figured that the wildness in Belphegor would be tamed by the gentle hands of a woman. This was how the mighty fall, indeed.

The tall, distinguished looking Archduke strolled over to the couple and sketched an elaborate bow, though an irked Belphegor could not help but notice that Alaisdair seldom behaved with such flamboyance. He could only come to the conclusion that the older man was only preening for Haru, the bloody pillock. He was proven right mere seconds later, when Alaisdair simply took hold of Haru's hand, lowered his head and pressed a gentlemanly kiss onto the back of her soft palm.

"Miss Miura," the dark-haired aristocrat murmured with genteel courtesy. "It has been awhile since we last met. How are you?"

Haru blinked with surprise at the overly familiar way the Archduke was behaving towards her. He was still half bent towards her, and he was also near enough that she could appreciate the patrician, angular features of his face as well as the piercing blue of his eyes. The man was ridiculously handsome now that Haru thought of it. If she wasn't already in love with Bel and if she hadn't spent nearly half of her life surrounded by the equally good looking men who were Sawada Tsunayoshi and his Guardians, as well as the various male Vongola members whom they had picked up over the years, she would have felt quite flustered by his attractiveness.

But Haru had those two layers of protection wrapped securely around her, and after her momentary pause of surprise, she firmly but politely pulled her hand free from Alaisdair's grasp, her friendly smile becoming slightly bewildered and uncertain.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking," she replied prudently, tactfully returning the Archduke's exchange of pleasantries even as her lover all but bristled with irritation. "How have you been yourself, Alaisdair-san?"

Alaisdair smiled thinly at the innocent question, and she started to glimpse the cool annoyance that he had been hiding behind his neutral gaze all this while.

"To be honest, Miss Miura," he drawled in a dry tone that seemed to fit his character very well, "I'd feel a lot more cheerful if someone wasn't always trying to kill himself."

Haru understood what he was trying to get at immediately, just as she quickly realized the true purpose of Alaisdair's visit. Half reclining on a generous amount of pillows beside her, Belphegor didn't look very surprised.

"Quit eyeballing her and get down to business," the Prince snapped instead. "Well? What is that bunch of meddling old farts saying now?"

The dark-haired aristocrat gave his monarch a faint, disapproving stare. Then, he turned to look steadily at Haru. She was glancing curiously between her lover and the Archduke.

"I apologize in advance for this, Miss Miura, but can you please grant us a moment of privacy?"

It really wasn't a request despite it being worded so, and Haru nodded. She looked at Belphegor and started to stand.

"Alright. I will go get some work done then. I will come back later."

Both men said nothing until after the brunette had left the suite.

Belphegor glowered at his retainer

"What do they want this time?" the blonde asked.

Alaisdair sat elegantly on the chair by the bed. He looked neutrally at his King.

"The same thing they always want," he replied in his usual bland tone. "Quit the Vongola. Stop being so reckless. Become King. Rule the country. Marry one of their highborn daughters. Have a castle full of offspring. Did I miss anything?"

Belphegor sneered, unamused.

"Tell them that my answer is still the same," he scoffed. "Who in their right minds would give up freedom to be ruled under somebody else's thumbs?"

Alaisdair merely gave Belphegor a calm, measured stare.

"I'm afraid I have to partly agree with them this time, Your Highness."

The Prince gave his steward a sharp look but said nothing. Alaisdair continued.

"It's been, what? Eighteen years since you left our country to join the Varia? The Royal Advisors let you run wild then because you were still young and restless, but things are different now," the dark-haired aristocrat commented. "There are an increasing number on the Royal Council putting a significant amount of pressure into getting you back to the throne, and you cannot keep resisting them."

Belphegor scowled.

"They cannot do anything to me," he declared irritably, and it was true. It wasn't as if they could resort to killing him, which would defeat the purpose of getting him back in the first place.

Alaisdair gave him a flat stare.

"Wrong. They will do anything to get you to sit on that throne, and I'm telling you now that you cannot afford to alienate them, Your Highness. They can and will make life extremely unpleasant for you."

Alaisdair was right, as much as Belphegor hated to admit it. It wasn't as if he could assassinate them and be done with it. For all their meddling and controlling tendencies, their presence was necessary in the ruling of his country, and therefore killing them wasn't an option.

"I suggest you compromise," the dark-haired Archduke advised. "Your insistence in continuing your dangerous occupation as an assassin as well as your marked lack of a progeny especially when you are the last of your line has made the Royal advisors very nervous. I may be the next in line to the throne, Belphegor, but I do not share your blood. If something were to happen to you right now, I don't have to tell you what would happen."

They both knew that there would be strife and dissent amongst the noble ranks, and their country would be plunged into chaos. The economical impact would be tremendous for a small state like theirs, and the resulting fallout would be disastrous. Belphegor remained silent, but the aura that surrounded him was dark. It all came back down to his royal blood, and he was tied to it no matter what he did.

"Compromise," the Crown Prince repeated coolly at last. "How?"

Alaisdair gave him a deceptively blank look.

"For one, you can always quit Varia, and retire from being an assassin-"

"No. I won't quit." The idea was shot down quickly and curtly, and the look on Belphegor's face was one of disgruntlement. Was his steward stupid? Killing and fighting had always been the one true outlet for frustration that had never let him down. If that was taken away from him, who knew what he would do when the Royal advisors drove him up the wall too much—he would probably lose his temper one day and massacre them all just for some bloody peace and quiet.

"Or you can always take a less active role in the Varia, one that will preferably not place you in direct line of fire. You are a Commander, aren't you? You can start commanding more and fighting less-"

"And act like a damn pansy in front of my men?" Belphegor sounded incredulous now, almost as if he could not believe that Alaisdair was suggesting such a ridiculous option. "And how am I going to get my killing fix whilst hiding behind my team? I hope you still remember why I joined Varia in the first place."

Alaisdair had not forgotten, of course. It was impossible to forget the infamous curse that plagued the royal line, most notably the men in Belphegor's family. It was bad enough that mental instability ran rampant amongst the closely inbred members of the imperial clan, but the age old, driving obsession for birthing the strongest Kings had resulted in a morbid phenomenon that forced extremely heightened sense of bloodlust upon the descendents of the monarchs.

That same vicious desire to kill and rend had been particularly strong in Belphegor's generation, and since it was obvious that he couldn't go around legitimately maiming and attacking his own citizens, the royal advisors had to allow the then-young boy to become an assassin. Eighteen years ago, at the age of eight, Belphegor had proven himself to them when he had won against his brother for the very last time. Rasiel had paid in blood for being the weaker of the two with his death, and the aristocrats in the Royal Council acknowledged that Belphegor would ascend the throne when he became of age. Hopefully, by then, he would have already learned how to control his bloodlust.

Unfortunately, the young boy in question had only grown up to love what he was doing, honing his innate abilities to kill to a fine art. Had he been living in an older time period, where wars and strife were prevalent and the rulers were required to be vicious and powerful to conquer and quell the might of enemy nations, he would have made a damn fine King. But that violent and chaotic period was long gone, and in its place, peace and diplomacy took over. Of course, that was not to say that Belphegor did not possess the capacity to be diplomatic—he just chose not to use it most of the time. Even the statutes that he had implemented for his country so far had all hinted at his aggressively efficient approach to doing things, not that that was bad, especially when his cunning and calculative nature was thrown into the mix.

And now, the advisors and the various parliament members wanted Belphegor to focus his talents solely on their country, and not just as a mere afterthought whilst he played the war games that the Varia often embarked on. Of course, Alaisdair was aware that it would be difficult to get Belphegor to agree to something like that, especially when the blonde was not very impressed with how the Council did things in the first place. He wasn't at all surprised by the Crown Prince's vehement refusal, and had, in fact, predicted a reply just like this.

It wasn't Alaisdair's intention to ask his King to quit Varia though, and when Belphegor took the bait just like the older male had expected he would, the dark-haired Archduke calmly sprung his trap.

"In that case, you should just get married and produce an heir," Alaisdair suggested flatly. Belphegor stared at him as if he was nuts.

"I'm not marrying any of those idiots' daughters," the Crown Prince snapped. "They are vapid and conniving and will just further muddy my family's bloodline."

Alaisdair did not bat an eye over Belphegor's immediate, negative reply.

"I'm not asking you to marry them," he replied calmly. "Most of the aristocratic families on the Council are at least distantly related to yours in one way or another, and judging by how you turned out, I think we should avoid any royal or nobility intermarriage for at least a few generations."

Belphegor scowled at his retainer. They both knew and understood the weaknesses of the royal blood, as galling as it was to admit such a thing. The centuries of inbreeding had ensured that the superior genes of the past monarchs would be retained in future generations, but with those accompanied the negative effects and genetic disorders as a result of the rigid practice as well. As it was, Belphegor was unnaturally aggressive and mad as a hatter at times, but it was amazing that was all he suffered from, considering his family's long history of intermarrying between cousins and members sharing the same blood.

"The injection of plebeian blood should help to dilute and stabilize the royal bloodline significantly," Alaisdair commented with deceptive casualness.

By now, Belphegor was definitely staring at Alaisdair in disbelief.

"And the Council approves of this?" he asked in an incredulous demand.

The Archduke shrugged gracefully.

"I haven't proposed it to them yet, but unless they tie you down to a bed and have their daughters impregnate themselves with you forcibly, I highly doubt they can do anything about it."

The dark-haired man gave his King a measured stare. "You have been with Miura Haru for nearly eight months already—that's over sixteen times the average amount of time you spend with any other women. Statistically speaking, if anyone is willing to marry you, she would be it."

The blonde glared at his steward. "You make it sound as if it would be torture to be married to me," he snapped.

"Miss Miura seems like a patient woman," the Archduke replied tactfully instead, only that his dry tone seemed to imply that Haru would need all the patience she could get to deal with Belphegor on a daily basis. "With formal training, she would make an excellent addition to the royal clan."

The Crown Prince scowled, not liking the direction of this conversation.

"I never said I was going to marry her," he denied sharply, clearly in a cantankerous and disagreeable mood. Belphegor had never liked to be cornered, and this time was no different. He was beginning to sense what Alaisdair was attempting to do, and needless to say, he was not pleased to have his hand forced in this matter.

Alaisdair proved to be as unflappable as he usually was.

"I see," the older man remarked serenely, indifferently, after a brief pause. "So you were only toying with her. My apologies for my mistaken assumption, then. I had thought that you had formed an attachment to this woman and I felt that you would prefer marriage to someone whom you had proven to at least get along with, not to mention Miss Miura appears to put up with you quite naturally."

Belphegor had no denial to voice to that, and therefore remained silent.

After an inward shrug, Alaisdair started to get to his feet. It was apparent that this conversation was nearly over.

"Well, I will start looking for potential bridal candidates for you then. I'm sure I can find some blue blood socialites in the United States who will not mind being your Queen."

Belphegor bristled, starting to get angry.

"Don't play your games with me, Alaisdair," the blonde interjected curtly, unamused.

The older Archduke stared calmly at the agitated blonde.

"No, Your Highness," the dark-haired male murmured then, his tone impassive. "I'm not playing any games this time around. You need a Princess Consort and I will find you one, preferably a woman who will allow you to keep Miura Haru on the side."

Belphegor found himself strangely incensed by Alaisdair's blasé attitude, and that the man had easily relegated Haru to the role of his mistress without care. The Crown Prince gritted his teeth with growing fury. There was no way he would allow his lover to be degraded before the eyes of another woman he could hardly care less about, not to mention Haru would never allow him to treat her like that, her affection for him withstanding or not. Her Famiglia would take her away from him in a flash, and that he would never let happen.

With that flash of insight, Belphegor quickly understood what Alaisdair was trying to do for him.

Just as quickly, the blonde felt his anger subside.

"No," he told the older man sharply, significantly less annoyed and more focused than before. "I don't care who you manage to find. I'm not marrying any of them."

Alaisdair promptly arranged his features to portray a subtle frown.

"The compromise-"

"Will be on my own terms," the Storm Unit Commander interrupted impatiently. "Let them know that they will have their Princess Consort and heir in time, but they will have no other say in this matter. I will not dance to their tune."

"The identity of your chosen-"

"You bloody well know who she is, having planned this entire charade and all," Belphegor muttered disgruntledly under his breath. Damn bastard just wanted him to spell it out.

In response, Alaisdair merely arched his brow, the look on his face one of casual nonchalance. His King gave a rather unmannerly roll of his eyes, not that anyone could see it.

"Tell the Council and their daughters that I am betrothed, and have been so for the past twenty years" the blonde confirmed, and he wasn't lying.

Unlike what Haru thought, Belphegor clearly remembered the promise that she had made him when he was a six year old time traveler in the future. And unfortunately for her, he deftly interpreted her vow to 'wait for him' as a promise of her hand in marriage. The woman had already as much as presented herself to him when he was barely six, so who was he to refuse her offer?

"The lucky lady is Miura Haru, I presume?" Alaisdair enquired pointedly in confirmation.

Belphegor scowled once more, and then nodded curtly, clearly reluctant to impart the information to the Archduke, and quite possibly the group of his kingdom's most powerful aristocrats that made up the Royal Council.

Alaisdair did not look overly surprised by Belphegor's surly reply. In hindsight, Belphegor realized that the former had most likely heard the whole story of his clandestine childhood meeting with Haru from Mortigor by now. His butler and his retainer were disgustingly chummy with each other, and the golden-haired Varia was well aware that there was no aspect of his private life that the other two were not aware of.

Indeed, Alaisdair was quite amused by his King's irritation, but most of all, he was feeling vindictively satisfied that the younger man had finally gotten caught, even if it was at the hands of a woman.

It seemed that Miura Haru was indeed destined to belong to his King from the start, and it was a good thing that she seemed to be able to mellow out Belphegor's wilder tendencies and bad temper. That alone made her an excellent candidate for Belphegor's Princess Consort. She was a healthy, intelligent young woman, and the lack of hereditary diseases in her family history made her suitable to mother Belphegor's children. As his King's steward, Alaisdair had no objections—she met all the bare requirements.

"I don't care how you do it; conceal her identity from the Council. I don't want them to know who she is yet," Belphegor ordered, and Alaisdair agreed wordlessly, instinctively understanding the Prince's need to protect Haru's identity.

There would be protests from a significant portion of the elder aristocrats on the Council if they ever found out that their Crown Prince would only agree to wed a commoner. It would be less trouble if this piece of information was withheld from the royal advisors for now, at least until Belphegor could secure Haru's position further, be it in the form of marriage or the birth of a royal offspring.

The fact that Belphegor was going to the extent of shielding his lover from the harmful scrutiny of his peers told Alaisdair without a doubt that Haru was the real deal. A Japanese Princess Consort was definitely unheard of in their country's royal line, but his King could do a lot worse than someone who clearly loved him enough to accept him wholly, faults and all.

"How much time do you need?" the Archduke asked, mentally taking note of what needed to be done, the preparations that he would have to make to be of use to his King in this crucial endeavor.

"Hold them off for as long as you can." The last thing Bel needed now was to have a herd of his countrymen breathing down his neck, so the less the other aristocrats knew, the better it was for both himself and Haru.

"I require a timeframe, if you please, Your Highness," Alaisdair remarked in a mildly acerbic tone, doggedly determined to extract a verbal agreement from the blonde. Belphegor could be squirrelly as hell when he wanted to be, and would twist words and weasel out of promises if he thought he could get away with it.

The Prince glowered at him.

"Five years. Keep them away for five years," the blonde demanded, even though he was well aware that he was asking for the impossible.

Alaisdair arched his brow. "Me and what army, Your Highness?" he questioned, the sarcasm in his voice more evident now. "Besides, I wasn't aware that you require so long a period just to convince your lover to wed you."

Belphegor was glaring at his irritating steward by then, well aware that the older man was once again trying to get a rise out of him. "I do not need to convince her to do anything," he snapped. "Haru is mine and she will marry me."

The Archduke merely stared at his King, his expression one of mild skepticism. Clearly, the younger man had much to learn still if he thought that he could order his lover to do as he pleased, especially when it came to a topic such as marriage. Women were known to be particularly irrational and difficult to reason with when it came to that, and well, that was a lesson that Belphegor would have to learn for himself.

"Indeed," the dark-haired aristocrat murmured neutrally then, though there was a suspicious light in his glacier blue eyes that made Belphegor stare sharply at him. "Since you are certain that you will have no trouble with Miss Miura, the most I can do is hold the Council off for one year."

The blonde's lips flattened with displeasure, but knew that was the best Alaisdair could offer. As efficient and competent the man was, he could only hold back the royal advisors for a certain period of time before they broke the dam and flooded him with their ridiculous demands.

One year would have to do to get Haru married to him and round with his child, and whereas he had no experience with the former whatsoever, he had definitely had a lot of practice trying for the latter with her, even if he had never seriously contemplated fatherhood before. How hard could this whole marrying and procreating business be, though? Everyone was doing it, so the assassin Prince was quite convinced that the whole thing would be a cinch.

This would be a piece of cake, that was for sure.

In hindsight, the poor man really had no idea what he was signing up for.

* * *

First of all, hunting down Haru proved to be a bit more difficult than usual, judging by his momentary incapacity to move about as freely as he normally did. Once Alaisdair took his leave, Belphegor had called for one of his attendants to fetch his lover for him, and because she wasn't in the dungeon vaults, it had taken nearly two hours before the exhausted servant finally tracked down the Japanese woman.

She had been enjoying the sunlight and the fine weather outside in the courtyard, working with a laptop and keeping company with her huffy Sparrow Hawk. Apparently, she had been so comfortable and immersed in her work that she had no intention to leave until she had at least completed a good portion of what she had set out to do, and Belphegor was most displeased when he heard from the nervous servant that she had no plans to drop whatever she was doing to come running at his beck and call. He was her lover, damn it, and he was injured to boot! Did that not count for something?

Irritated, the golden-haired Prince would have ordered his servants to bring her back to him no matter what if not for the not-so-timely arrival of his fellow Varia Commanders. Squalo, Levi, Lussuria and Fran entered his bedroom purposefully, settling around him in various parts of the room for an impromptu meeting. They were still in the process of retaliating against their traitorous ally; their opponent this time was a bit sneakier and quite slippery to capture and Belphegor was promptly updated on the status of their progress so far.

The discussion and division of labor took a good two hours to get over with, and even though Belphegor was unable to participate actively in the ensuing operation, he was still one of their generals. The blonde was a veritable genius when it came to strategic planning as well as predicting their enemies' intention and movements; therefore, the other Commanders had no problems throwing their plans at him to gauge their effectiveness.

By the time the other Varia left, Mortigor had made his appearance before the grumpy Prince and had insisted his master take the medicine and antibiotics prescribed to him by the doctors. The pills had the unfortunate effect of causing him a great amount of drowsiness, and he ended up sleeping the rest of the day away. It was night when he woke again, though when he did so, he found Haru by his side. She was curled near him on the bed and was reading a novel, though she put the book down and turned her attention to him when he stirred.

Her fingers ran gently through his tousled hair, soothing and distracting him from the small but insistent headache that plagued him. He groaned and turned towards her, his uninjured arm automatically reaching for her, curling around her waist even as he buried his face in her stomach. She continued to stroke his hair with tender care, patiently waiting for him to wake up more, but he didn't appeared inclined to move, apparently quite comfortable where he was.

"You must be hungry. Let me call the kitchen to bring you some broth," she insisted at last, her fingers touching the side of his face softly in concern. He grunted and shook his head.

"No broth," he denied in a husky, sleepy voice. "Sick of it."

His revulsion was no surprise, seeing how he had had nothing but the diluted soup for meals since he was dragged back to the castle by his men.

"What about congee?" she suggested thoughtfully instead. "I will ask the cook to add an egg as well as some thin slices of chicken meat. It is light but tastes different from broth. I think you will like it."

She had to prod him to get his reply, and he agreed to have some in the end. Belphegor continued to doze lightly against her stomach while they waited for the food to be prepared and brought up to their bedroom, and meanwhile, Haru resumed her reading, idly running her fingers through his hair, enjoying the peace and quiet of the night.

Nearly an hour later, Mortigor came knocking at the door, bringing with him a piping hot bowl of the congee as well as Belphegor's medication. Haru could see that the cook on duty had prepared the simple, light meal well, and like I-Pin had once taught her, she seasoned the otherwise plain fare with a dash of white pepper as well as a dribble of soy sauce. While Mortigor fussed stoically over his master, helping the latter sit up and fluffing the pillows for him to lean against, Haru proceeded to thoroughly mix the condiments, breaking the yolk as well and carefully blending in the different flavors into the congee.

"Try it." She placed the steaming bowl on the breakfast tray before him, watching as he took up the soup spoon and proceeded to eat. It was definitely different from the broth that he had been made to consume for the past few days, and he decided that the spices and flavorings made the otherwise plain fare taste a lot better than expected. Being able to bite into the meat, egg and the boiled rice was certainly an improvement compared to the liquid diet that he had been on previously, and without complaints, Belphegor easily finished the entire bowl of congee.

"Tell the cook that I will have this tomorrow as well," the blonde told his lover, and she nodded, pleased that her suggestion had been well received by him. She cleared away the tray, bringing it outside the room to be collected by a servant later before returning to his side.

"You should take your medicine," she reminded him when she came back, frowning subtly at the small collection of pills sitting beside a tall glass of water on the side table.

The blonde shook his head.

"Later," he told her instead. "I have something to tell you first."

Haru gave Bel a mildly quizzical look, but she rejoined him in bed all the same.

"What is it?" she asked quite affably, and in response, he merely moved towards her and trapped her in between himself and the nest of pillows near the head of the bed. She did not feel threatened by him though, on the contrary. Wordlessly, he began to nuzzle the side of her neck instead, kissing the arch of her throat and up the curve of her jaw. She closed her eyes briefly and relaxed under him, her hands coming up to rub his back in a comforting gesture that she knew he liked. Haru was not opposed to his acts of affections, as spontaneous and as random as they always were, and she allowed him to kiss her, quietly enjoying the intimacy with her lover.

It was only when things took a more sexual turn that she began to protest, pulling away from him and giving him a small frown.

"No, Belphegor," she told him as firmly as she could. "Didn't we agree not to do anything that will aggravate your stitches?"

"Only you agreed. I didn't say anything." He looked somewhat disgruntled. She certainly had no trouble saying no to him if she felt that it needed to be done, that was for sure.

"Well, what was it that you wanted to say?" she asked, changing the subject. It wasn't as if she enjoyed this temporary celibacy any more than he did, but unlike him, she had every intention of putting his health before her own desires.

He looked at her, this woman whom he had decided he would marry and who would bear his children.

"I'm a Prince," he told her abruptly then, much to her surprise. "A Crown Prince, to be exact, and in time, I will succeed the throne to my Kingdom and become King. I'm extremely wealthy; both by birthright and by my own efforts. Most can only dream of even a mere fraction of what I possess."

Haru didn't know why he was telling her this all of a sudden, but she decided to take the wait-and-see approach instead of just guessing what Bel was up to this time around.

"I am perfectly healthy and do not suffer from any diseases or handicaps," he continued blithely. "My intelligence quotient scores are in the high 160s. As you already know, I am also ruthlessly proficient in killing, and I will protect what is mine with deadly force."

He was staring straight at her as he spoke, and Haru frowned subtly, momentarily confused by his declarations.

"Okay," she ventured slowly, uncertain how to react to his shameless tooting of his own horn. But he was not done advertising himself yet.

"In short," Belphegor concluded simply. "I am everything a woman can ask for."

Haru twitched at his unbelievably self-centered remark, and could almost not believe the utter gall of him when he looked at her meaningfully, almost as if he was expecting her complete agreement.

"Where are you planning to go with this?" she asked at last, not amused.

He shrugged carelessly.

"I thought you should know how lucky you are to capture my attention," he told her casually, though the woman in question was beginning to feel more irritated than lucky.

"Oh really?" she was beginning to sound a bit too saccharine than normal, though he hadn't seemed to notice her aggravated state yet. "Are you expecting me to write you a thank you card then?"

"That will not be necessary," he dismissed her sarcasm with his usual bigheaded ego, and before she could so something drastic like attempt to knock him down a few pegs, he continued. "However, you can just marry me."

Wait- what did he just say?

Haru's thought process stuttered to an abrupt halt.

"What?" she sounded utterly mystified. Surely she must have heard wrongly, for there was no way in hell—

He looked at her gob smacked expression. She appeared so incredulous that he started to get a bit annoyed himself. Had she never predicted that marriage would be the next logical step in their relationship? They were sleeping together, he clearly saw her as his woman, not to mention he had as much as implied to her Famiglia that there would be children from their union come a few years later, only that that would happen sooner rather than later now, so she clearly didn't have to look that _shocked_.

It was as if she had never even thought of getting hitched to him, and for some reason or another, that made him quite irritated. What was he, chopped liver?

"We are getting married," he demanded. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it, though she continued to gape at him like a halfwit.

"We are?" she squeaked out at last, still sounding quite surprised.

He scowled at her. "Didn't we just establish earlier that I am a prime catch?" he snapped at her, apparently quite offended by her hesitant reaction. She snapped out of it at last, though, and started to frown at him instead.

"No, _we_ didn't establish anything," she denied, not quite the happy fiancée that he had imagined her to be. In fact, now that the shock was quickly wearing off, she appeared quite agitated herself. "_You_ were the one who was blowing your own trumpet, you shameless man. I didn't say anything-"

She paused as she just realized something.

"Did you just _order_ me to marry you?" Haru asked then, almost disbelieving.

Genius of Varia that he was, Belphegor quickly heeded the alarm bells that went off in his head at her question.

"How many children do you want to have?" he asked abruptly in an attempt to distract her. "I want at least two."

The royal advisors would demand at least an heir and a spare before they were satisfied enough to leave him alone for awhile, that much Belphegor knew. They might as well get started on that endeavor as soon as possible.

Haru's eyes narrowed. Something did not smell right. It could be the fact that her lover was suddenly so eager to get married, not to mention how she just could not picture him desiring to sire some offspring enough to start thinking of how many children he wanted.

At least, not without outside persuasion.

But he had clearly been his usual self this morning, and come to think of it, it was only after his Archduke retainer had left that he had began acting up—

Haru's well honed Belphegor sense was tingling like mad, and she just knew that something was afoot.

"What did Alaisdair-san discuss with you earlier?" she asked suspiciously, catching on quickly to what he wasn't telling her. If he wasn't careful, she was going to find out the truth before he could break it to her and she would most definitely be unlikely to agree to marriage to him by then. This marriage business was certainly harder than he had first thought.

Belphegor decided to tell her everything. His lover was a smart woman and deceiving her now would not earn him any points in her book.

"It's time for me to get married and start producing heirs," he muttered, and she stared at him in disbelief.

"Did you ask me to marry you just because I happen to be conveniently here?" she demanded.

That was partly the truth, though he was smart enough not to admit it.

"You suit my purpose," he told her in a roundabout manner. "And we fit well together."

It was as much as an admission of affection coming from him, though Haru was hardly placated by the subpar answer.

"What about love?" she asked then, and this time, he was the one to give her an incredulous look.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he snapped irritably, and she frowned at him.

"It has to do with everything! How can there be marriage without love?" she asked again, trying to make him understand her point.

He glowered at her.

"You don't love me?" he sounded rather outraged at the notion, and she sputtered, quickly turning red.

"What about you?" she shot back. "Do you love me?"

At that, Belphegor fell abruptly silent, and after awhile, Haru scowled with disappointment. Something in her chest was clenching painfully, and her throat suddenly felt dry and tight. His lack of a reply was not something unexpected, and a distant part of her supposed she should be lucky that he was not one to lie.

Still, it hurt. It always hurt that the men whom she had fallen in love with could never seem to love her back the way she wanted them to.

"Thank you for considering me," she told him quietly at last, her head bowed to hide her distress. "But I'm going to say no. I think I deserve better than be a convenient baby making machine for anyone."

His lips flattened with displeasure, but she got off the bed and started to make her way out of his bedroom—their bedroom.

"You aren't going to get a better offer than mine, you know that," he bit out harshly, stung by her refusal.

She paused midway and looked at him. The sadness in her expressive brown eyes was hard to miss, and the frustrated man wondered why it upset him to see her like this.

"But Belphegor," she told him softly. "I didn't fall in love with you because you are a Prince."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And there went Belphegor's first proposal attempt (which flopped rather miserably, by the way). He's obviously quite new at this, but don't worry, he will improve…eventually!

This chapter is pretty self explanatory, so I have nothing much to write here this time around. Bet most of you can more or less guess what this current arc will be about after reading this latest installment.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	32. Chapter 32

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6104

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 23/10/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Thirty Two**

* * *

The following week or so passed in absolute chaos for Belphegor's household. It didn't take long for news to leak out that there was trouble in paradise, and that the Prince and his lover were currently estranged from each other. No one was quite certain what happened, only that the couple was now sleeping in separate bedrooms and that both appeared quite upset by the current circumstances.

Even though entrenched in her own private heartache, Haru was still polite and thoughtful as ever to the staff, though the unspoken misery in her eyes was unmistakable to all who saw her.

On the other hand, Prince Belphegor became an absolute terror to serve. He was viciously bad tempered and was not above cursing and yelling at his servants for every little thing they did wrong, and his volatile temperament was made even worse by his temporary bedridden state. Without the calming, comforting presence of his lover, it was as if the golden-haired royal had been possessed by an angry demon, one who had no qualms taking out his frustrations on anything and anyone around him.

It got to the point where even Belphegor's own soldiers were quailing in their uniforms in fear of their Commander. If Belphegor had been difficult to deal with before, then he was definitely downright unreasonable now. If possible, the blonde royal was even more sadistic and deliberately cruel than he had been prior to meeting Haru. Never had the Prince been in such a foul mood because of a woman, and by the end of the terrible week, the servants and the Varia Storm Team were ready to do whatever it took to restore the peace.

The soldiers came first. They appeared at Haru's door one morning and simply asked her to return to their Commander's side. Haru, who had been throwing herself headlong into her work the past few days, had been surprised to see the small group of soldiers humbly requesting for her to go back to Belphegor to 'heal his troubled soul.' The men had proceeded to explain the resulting mayhem that the Prince had unleashed in light of her separation from him, and it had not been pretty.

Unfortunately for them, as distraught as the Lady had obviously been over the entire incident, she apologized to the men for the trouble she had caused them but refused to give in just because her overgrown brat of a lover was throwing a temper tantrum. She maintained that he needed to learn that he wasn't always going to get his way no matter how angry and violent he got, and she had informed the astonished soldiers exactly that.

The men were certainly surprised to realize that their Commander's seemingly meek, civilian lover was no wallflower to be maneuvered about and possessed a backbone of her own to boot, which certainly explained why the Prince Belphegor was so enamored of her. The golden-haired Storm Varia had definitely met his match this time, and his soldiers retreated, respecting her wish not to submissively placate her lover this time.

Next came Francesca, and the humble, subservient Housekeeper sat in with Haru during lunch and proceeded to quietly plead her master's case, asking the younger woman to return to His Highness. It was a lot harder for Haru to deny Francesca, especially since the other female had watched Belphegor grow up from infancy and had plenty of stories to tell her Prince's lover. Ultimately, the middle aged woman softly asked Haru to reconsider her estrangement from Belphegor, explaining that the Storm Flame Wielder had only ever known how to express himself through anger and the cutting, defensive wit that kept others from getting too close.

Belphegor was too proud to ever admit that he was in the wrong, and Francesca apologized to Haru on her master's behalf for whatever that he had done to upset the young woman this time, if only she would return to his side. His servants clearly recognized that the affection he had for Haru was special, and was therefore doing everything within their ability to protect His Highness' happiness, even if he himself hadn't realized it just yet. Haru was especially affected by Francesca's moving sincerity, and even as she started to waver somewhat on her decision to wean herself off Belphegor, the fact still stood that their relationship was going to remain at a stalemate if nothing changed.

In the end, Francesca could not convince Haru to change her mind, and when Mortigor appeared before her sometime before dinner, Haru was not very surprised to see the stoic butler. It seemed that Bel's men and servants were going full out, and that told the brunette her lover was truly blessed to have such loyal supporters who clearly cared about him enough to want to aid him in any way they could.

Unlike the other two encounters earlier, Mortigor clearly knew where to strike. The faithful manservant did not plead for help to stop His Highness' unreasonable tyranny, nor did he attempt to appeal to Haru to forgive his master. No, Mortigor merely spoke the truth. He informed her that the Prince was not taking well to this argument that they were both having, and in a fit of pique, had chased out all the servants and medical staff, disallowing them to tend to his injuries and refusing to take his medication as well. The somber man ended his status report by bluntly mentioning that his master was running a high risk of infection if the latter continued to obstinately refuse medical attention, before excusing himself and leaving Haru to draw her own conclusions in the matter.

It didn't take long for Haru to cave after that. Although she was still quite upset with Belphegor, she quickly found her concern for him overriding her heartache. That, and the fact that the past week or so without her lover had hurt her as well. It had been unbelievably difficult to keep herself away from Belphegor especially when he had been so near, and Haru had learned that she still loved him very much, enough to put his wellbeing above her own unhappiness.

And so Haru swallowed her pride and returned to Belphegor that night.

* * *

The golden-haired Prince in question was not having a good time.

He was angry and upset, and not surprisingly, the people around him bore the full brunt of his frustrations. It had been a week since Haru had left his bed, and although he should have forgotten her by now, shrugged off her abrupt departure and moved on to greener pastures, he was anything but over her. To be exact, Belphegor was still stewing over the argument that he had with Haru, and was pretty irritated that the woman in question had flounced off in a huffy fit just because he refused to say three insignificant words for her to hear.

It was utterly ridiculous, according to the injured Storm Unit Commander, and after he had spent the first five days brooding and indulging in a tantrum of epic proportions, the remainder of the week had been used to contemplate his next course of action in this utterly foreign situation. No woman had ever denied him before, and it figured that the one he wanted to marry would be the first to give him a resounding 'thanks but no thanks.' His pride was definitely hurt, and had she been any other woman, he would have retaliated in kind, and made sure that she paid double for refusing him.

But she was Haru, _his_ Haru, and the sadness in her eyes haunted him.

Then there were those ambiguous words that she had said to him in the end, their meaning simply unmistakable, and the resulting thrill that had shot through him as a result had been surprising and disorienting, though not in a bad sense…

But watching her turn her back on him and walk away had not been pleasant at all, especially not when she had looked so defeated and disappointed, and he did not relish the feeling of _almost_ panic that had stirred in his heart as she left him that night, that warned that she might go away and never want to come back. He resented that she held enough power over him to make him feel this way, and had spent a portion of their separation sulking over it. But he quickly realized that he disliked it even more when she was not by his side, as idiotic and as needy as that made him sound. It was as if there was a constant, unreachable itch at his side that he could not get rid of, a feeling that only increased the longer his lover was absent from him.

Of course, that only made him even more irritable, and by the end of the week Belphegor had become so agitated (his current bedridden state was not helping matters any) that he had flown into a rage and kicked out all of his staff, refusing them entrance and daring them to enter only if they did not fear for their lives. His servants knew better than to test him when he was in such a murderous mood and dutifully left him to his own devices for most of the day. They did attempt to bring him food and medication during mealtimes but his temper had only gotten worse so they had quickly stopped trying.

In hindsight, not having any food was only making him even crabbier, but the congee that he had ordered to be made simply did not taste like what Haru had served to him the first time around. Even though he had blamed the cook for the inconsistency in flavoring, nothing the man had done so far had improved the simple dish to the way the blonde wanted it and Belphegor was immediately certain that this was somehow Haru's fault. It was almost galling that he could not seem to escape thinking of her no matter what, and the inevitable fact was that she had filtrated into almost every facet of his life so that it was impossible to get rid of her, not that he had wanted her gone in the first place.

In fact, he was in the process of figuring out how to bring her back to his side and keep her there permanently without the disaster of his earlier attempt reenacting itself when his bedroom door opened quietly and somebody entered the room. He scowled automatically, glaring at the unknown perpetrator who was clearly asking for trouble.

"Didn't I say not to disturb me?" he had snapped out harshly before he even had a good look at the intruder, though he promptly fell silent in surprise when he did.

Haru walked in and shut the door carefully behind her. She balanced a tray in her hands and walked towards him unhesitatingly. Calm as you please, she stopped at his bedside and placed the tray of food and medication on the table. On closer inspection, Belphegor could see that it was congee. Before he could tell her to take it away, she started to add a dash of pepper as well as some soy sauce into the bowl of rice porridge before mixing the spices in thoroughly. So that was why it tasted slightly different from the original version that the cook had made.

"Why are you here?" he demanded sharply at last, sounding a bit more hostile than he had intended to. This was the woman who had turned down his offer of marriage, after all. His pride was still smarting over her rejection, and simply refused to condone her return to him just like that, even if she had suddenly changed her mind and decided that she wanted to be his Princess Consort after all.

She tasted a bit of the congee, and satisfied, turned to him. She gave him an unreadable look.

"Mortigor-san said that you had no appetite and refused to take your medicine," she answered quietly at last, and he stiffened slightly.

So she had came back to him only at the bequest of his over meddling servants, and not because she had clearly seen the error of her ways and wanted to marry him.

Haru sat on the armchair by his bedside and took the bowl in her hand. She spooned a portion of the hot congee, blew carefully to cool it, and proceeded to direct the soup spoon towards him.

"Eat," she told him simply. "You should look after yourself better; don't make other people worry so much."

She was chiding him mildly, and he wanted to refuse her offer of food but his common sense stepped in before he could actually do something that childish. The fact that she was right here beside him, serving him like she was doing now, told him without words that she had swallowed her own pride and put aside her anger and unhappiness with him to come before him like this, just because his Butler had no doubt told her of his little tantrum. _Because despite everything, she worried for him. _

Suddenly, he didn't feel quite worthy of her attention, though he also didn't think that he would tolerate it if she were to shower the same level of concern on some other underserving males.

She was his, and he would make her understand that she belonged with him if that was the last thing he ever did.

He opened his mouth and allowed her to feed him with little fuss. The delicious congee tasted very good in his mouth and promptly traveled a straight path down his gullet, settling in his previously empty stomach and emitting a most pleasant warmth to his entire being. He was suddenly hungry for more.

It felt damn good to be taken care of by her, he was quickly beginning to realize, and the golden-haired Storm Varia basked unashamedly in the glow of her concern. His earlier anger and irritation leaked away rapidly, leaving him contented and relaxed once more—_she was with him now_.

If his men were here, they would have gaped like imbeciles at how docile he was, but Belphegor did not care. With her tender, careful feeding, he finished the contents of the bowl in a short matter of time, and she set aside the utensils and handed him the medication that he was supposed to take. He refused them.

"We need to talk," he told her, but she shook her head.

"No, we will talk tomorrow," she told him firmly. "Let's just rest now. I'm…tired, too."

He looked at her, saw the slight paleness of her face as well as the mild smudges under her eyes, and quickly realized that she must not have been sleeping well for the past week. Their separation had caused her as much distress as it had him, perhaps even more, and wordlessly, he took the pills that she offered him and washed them down with a glass of water.

She carried the tray of empty dishes outside to be collected by a servant later, and returned to him right after that. She stopped before him and started to remove her clothes. She pulled her sweater over her head and dropped it to the floor. Her blouse and bra quickly followed in succession, and she kicked off her jeans and panties. Completely nude, she climbed into bed beside him and curled into his uninjured side, quietly relaxing, closing her eyes and pressing her face into the side of his shoulder.

It told him without words that she trusted him still, enough to bare herself before him with no fear or hesitation.

He felt himself react instinctively to the contact of her warm, pliant body and the sweetness of her smooth silky skin. He reached for her immediately, his arm sliding around her waist and pulling her close, his nose digging amongst her hair as he took a deep draw of her scent. He had missed this, he thought.

Haru sighed softly, contently, and her body eventually went lax against his, her breathing evened out as she fell quickly asleep.

Belphegor pulled the covers over himself and Haru, and it wasn't long before the side effects of the medicine kicked in and he allowed himself to join his lover in slumber.

For the first time in one week, it was peaceful.

* * *

The next few days passed in relative calm and tranquility for the staff working in the Storm Unit Commander's household, much to their collective sigh of relief. It had been months since their Prince had last 'acted up,' and not so coincidentally, the golden-haired royal had had markedly less episodes ever since Lady Haru became his lover. The damaging disagreement that the two had last week had quickly showed the servants just how important the Crown Prince's Consort was to their master's emotional stability, not to mention how the Storm Varia was a lot less likely to vent his frustrations on them when he was together with his Lady.

As such, it was even more imperative to preserve His Highness' happiness, and whereas the younger servants were simply thankful that they no longer had to serve a moody _and_ murderous master, the older ones were fully aware that this storm was not over yet.

For even though Lady Haru had returned to their Prince's side, something did not feel quite right about the couple. For one, His Highness looked to be rather disgruntled over something, though he was certainly not taking it out on them anymore. It was puzzling to his senior servants; after all, his Consort did not appear to be acting any differently than she always did towards him, so it was unlikely that the Lady was still upset with their Crown Prince. Besides, Lady Haru was not the vindictive type to make her lover suffer with petty acts and cold silences, so what was going on?

It was a question whose answer Belphegor himself would very much like to know. What kind of woman would refuse to marry the man whom they had admitted (hinted at) to love?

He still remembered the conversation they had the day after she had come back to his side. She had started out by thanking him—thanking him!—for the 'offer to marry' her, much to his incredulity. Who the hell gave thanks for a marriage proposal? It was a yes or no question, not an award nomination whereby she was obligated to give a long, obviously rehearsed speech of her gratitude, which was exactly what she had done—_before turning him down flat again_.

She had claimed to be content with their relationship as it was, and had also quietly iterated that she would be with him for as long as she was needed, so it was alright. She was firm and convincing, but it just sounded suspiciously to him as if she was just planning to wait for some other woman who was willing to take him off her hands and then hightail it back to her Famiglia—

Which would only happen over his dead body, of course, and he had been quite cross and irritated stewing over that notion even though the dratted woman looked as if everything was alright in her world again. She acted perfectly normal around him, affectionate and caring as always so he had no doubt that she truly meant what she had said.

Most men in his shoes would have quickly counted their lucky stars that they had such an understanding partner who wasn't badgering him to get married, but not Belphegor. The blonde was ridiculously paranoid like the best assassins tended to be, an instinct that had preserved his life plenty of times, and he quickly noticed that his relationship with Haru right now was, at best, tenuous. She had indicated that she did not mind continuing their sexual liaison, but a sly, irritating voice in his mind questioned what would happen one day should she meet a man who had no qualms declaring his love to her, showering her with the adoration that Belphegor himself had not given her.

No, unless he had a firm hold on her and by default, her affections, the golden-haired Prince did not see how he could prevent her from falling in love with anyone other than himself.

…Not that he would ever allow her to leave him and run off into the sunset with some random male, definitely not. No, he would very cheerfully _exterminate_ the bastard who dared try to charm his Haru away from him, and if need be, he would even do his damned best to keep his lover separate from the rest of the male population.

That was the worst case scenario, of course, though Belphegor had certainly spent an inordinate amount of time considering it. At last, he dismissed the idea as too manpower intensive, not to mention how her Boss and Famiglia would definitely not agree to his intention to keep her chained to his bed twenty-four seven.

In the end, marriage was still the best option to keeping her completely locked to him—metaphorically speaking, that was. Belphegor had gone full circle, but the more he considered the situation, the more Alaisdair's suggestion for him to marry Haru held more merit. But of course, it was terribly ironic that the woman whom he wanted to marry had somehow decided that she was better off not married to him, when in the past, women had done all they could to trap him into matrimony only to fail miserably.

Surely, this must be Karma for all the outrageous things he had done in the past, but that was not stopping him from bringing up the marriage topic whenever he had the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, if he was single-mindedly persistent in getting hitched to Haru, then she was just as equally determined to avoid the topic, much to his increasing displeasure. Belphegor could not help but feel that they were clearly in a role reversal; she was supposed to be one who wanted to get married, children loving and all, and he was supposed to be the one who was trying to weasel out of getting tied down to her, so why had things turned out like this?

Not surprisingly, Alaisdair had been less than impressed with the Prince's progress, though he hadn't seemed at all surprised that Haru had turned him down.

"Your Highness," the dark-haired Archduke had drawled somewhat archly through the phone, "I'm not certain which century you think you have been living in, but nowadays, most women would object vehemently to being treated like a 'baby making machine.' You are a genius, Prince Belphegor, but perhaps you should employ some of that high intellect in being tactful instead?"

The golden-haired royal had responded to his steward's sarcastic suggestion by cursing and swearing as usual, though he had to admit grudgingly that the other aristocrat had a good point. And so tactful it was—Belphegor's style.

If that dratted woman needed to be properly courted before she accepted his proposal, then by god he would wine and dine her to her heart's content.

* * *

Haru was feeling terribly confused.

It had been nearly a week since she had decided that she and Belphegor were better off not married to each other, but since then, the man in question had been doing his darnedest to try her resolve at every turn.

It didn't take her long to realize that her lover had put together a rather crude plan to pester her into submission, but she was made from sterner stuff and was easily able to refuse his various demands to marry him, which would pop up randomly at different times of the day but possessed more or less of the same variation, much to her increasing annoyance.

Besides, how could he call what he was doing a proposal when he hadn't really proposed in the first place? He just seemed rather determined to get his way, from what Haru could tell, and she didn't feel that he was being sincere, only that he had somehow decided that it would be nice to have her as a wife and was therefore intent to make that happen.

Haru thought that she deserved better than to be treated like some prize to be won, and therefore she steeled her heart and told herself to ignore whatever her lover said with regards to marriage—even if he happened to be the man whom she was utterly in love with, and she was very tempted to just say yes and be done with it.

But he did not love her, had most likely wanted her because she was convenient, and that hurt enough that she'd quickly come back to her senses and become level-headed enough to turn him down. She knew well enough that she would never be happy in a loveless marriage, and it was really better for all of them involved that she be strong now and save them both from committing to a union that was doomed to fail from the beginning.

And so, that was what happened for the past few days, and just when she was getting used to this new routine, Belphegor started to do something different.

One morning, when she was working in the server vaults with Fran as an accompaniment, Haru received an unexpected surprise. The intercom that linked the underground dungeons to the rest of the castle had rung out with a request for her to step out for a moment to accept a delivery, and momentarily bewildered, Haru had done just that with Fran in tow.

A friendly looking young man stood at the entrance and he stepped forward when he saw her.

"Miss Miura Haru?" the male called out in confirmation before passing her a clipboard. "Please sign here for delivery."

Haru looked around the empty hallway in confusion.

"Delivery?" she had asked haltingly in Italian. She was still in the process of mastering the language in her free time, but could more or less understand simple to moderate sentences.

The delivery person proceeded to speak a rapid string of Italian that she could not catch quickly enough, though thankfully, Fran did.

"Haru-san," the teal-haired Mist Varia interpreted dully. "He said that his people will bring over the delivery once you accept it."

"Oh, okay." The brunette hurriedly put down her signature where it was needed before returning the documents to the young man. Then she proceeded to wait with Fran for the delivery, and when it came, both were surprised by what it fully entailed.

Roses.

Bouquet after bouquet of the darkest, reddest roses were brought into the dungeon vaults, elaborate, elegant arrangements that were decorated with expensive strings of Swarovski crystals, with precious drops of priceless pearls adorned in the center of each of the blood red blooms. The first bouquet was delivered straight to her arms, and Haru had proceeded to stare with faint wonder at the large, gorgeous display of roses.

The deliveries kept coming though, and very quickly, the immediate area where Haru had been working in was filled with bouquets of sweet smelling floral. Haru lost count at fifty, but by the time the delivery men were done, the brunette saw red wherever she turned, and not in a bad way. It was a pretty amazing sight actually, and the sweet, dreamy scent of roses proliferated through the large vault.

Haru had no doubt that whoever had planned this had to have spent at least a small fortune to pull this off, and as much as she enjoyed the breathtakingly beautiful sight laid out before her, the sensible part of her had quietly twinged in protest at such profligate extravagance. These roses would no doubt wilt and die within a week and it would be such a waste. Not to mention, who would send her such an exaggerated arrangement of flowers? It couldn't be Belphegor, could it? He had certainly never bothered before…

"Wait!" Haru called out to the last delivery man before he could retreat, his duty done. The same young man whom she had spoken to earlier approached at her beckoning.

"Yes, Miss Miura?" the man had enquired politely.

"May I know the identity of the sender?" she asked.

The young man started to look faintly nervous. "I'm sorry, Miss, but the sender has requested to keep his anonymity."

Haru frowned slightly at that. "In that case, this gift is too excessive for me to accept. Is it possible to ask for a refund if I returned them?"

The man appeared downright alarmed by then, and standing beside Haru, Fran silently lifted an eyebrow. Nobody asked him, but it definitely smelled like the work of a certain golden-haired sempai of his…

"The payment has already been made in full, Miss Miura," the delivery person replied quickly. "Is there anything about the bouquets that you are not happy with? We will do whatever it takes to make up for it. The sender will be most _highly displeased_ with us otherwise."

Haru shook her head, distracted by the worry in the other man's tone.

"No, I liked the floral arrangements just fine, but I don't think I have any use for so many bouquets of roses."

"There are 99 bouquets in total, with an exact 99 dark red Black Baccara hybrid tea roses in each," the young man provided helpfully "It may seem excessive, Miss, but the numbers and the type of rose sent to you holds their own special meanings."

Haru's brow furrowed slightly at that. She had heard of something like what he was telling her from Kyoko-chan before, but had forgotten most of that conversation long ago.

"Meanings?" she had echoed, curiosity piqued, clearly indicating for the man to continue, and he did.

"Well, dark red roses are known to represent deep passion as well as a readiness for a long term commitment, amongst other things." Haru's eyes widened at that, and the man continued. "It's traditionally chosen by people who are either unwilling or unable to find the proper words to express their feelings to their significant others."

Haru stilled and swallowed reflexively at the same time, her gaze falling once more on the large bouquets of roses that surrounded her. It was rather obvious to her who the sender was by now. Slowly, a light, bubbly feeling expanded in her chest, and against her will, Haru found herself inexplicably touched by her lover's gesture.

"And the numbers?" she asked in a soft, wondering tone. "What do they mean?"

The delivery man smiled genially at the pretty Asian woman. She was glowing slightly with pleasure that she was trying to hide, but still looked beautiful in love.

"It means that the sender promises his affection to you for as long as he lives."

* * *

After the delivery men had left, Haru had taken some time to figure out what to do with all the flowers that her 'anonymous admirer' had sent her. As much as a small, irrational part of her wanted to keep all of it, her more sensible side had prevailed once more. After all, it was such a waste to hoard all these gorgeous blooms all to herself when she could share their admittedly short lived beauty with many others. Haru had decided in the end to give away nearly half to the various castle maids, much to their delight, though she had kept the rest in vases of water to decorate her rooms.

Despite giving away some of Belphegor's gifts, the warmth that seemed to fill her heart had not dissipated at all. If anything, it only seemed to grow fuller, as evidenced by the small, light blush that constantly colored her cheeks.

The surprise didn't just stop at the bouquets though, as Haru had learned once she had barely taken care of the overabundance of roses.

The poets came next, and together with a quartet, had proceeded to enthrall Haru with an Italian poetry recital complete with soft, waltzing classical music in the background for the next hour or so. Never mind that she hadn't really mastered the language yet, she had been charmed by the lilting voices and the haunting music. The performance ended with the lead poet presenting her with a single stalk of rose, bowing over her hand and kissing the back of her palm gallantly before retreating respectfully with his troupe.

"_Una rosa dal tuo ammiratore, Signorina_."

The realistic looking flower was made from the highest quality Venetian glass. The petals were a deep, ruby red, and the stem and leaves were a rich emerald. The artwork was extremely detailed and seemed to glow with an inner light. Haru was bemused by the gift more than anything, the tips of her fingers softly touching the glass rose.

With lethargic interest, Fran decided that his fellow Varia Commander had definitely done his homework this time around, unlike the disastrous attempt at a marriage proposal that had by now circulated its way through the entire castle. Instead of reacting adversely to her constant refusals like most would have expected when dealing with someone of his temperament, Belphegor was pulling out all the stops wooing his lover, and it seemed to be working.

Haru was certainly looking quite affected by his grand gestures, though not to the point of running straight to his side and throwing herself at him. She appeared quietly contemplative after the recital before turning to her Mist Varia companion for the day.

Haru gave Fran a small smile that looked slightly sad.

"Bel's only doing all this just so I'll marry him, isn't he?"

She was certainly not blinded by all the extravagance and lavish gifts; that was for sure.

Fran watched her in his usual impassive, dull manner, and then he nodded imperceptibly. It was the truth, after all, and the teal-haired man had never been in the habit of lying, even if it was just to make someone feel better. Besides, the blonde in question had certainly never bothered with any such romantic displays before, and that only served to sharply contrast and highlight his rather single-minded intention. Belphegor had always been blatant like that, and no amount of little white lies would help his case.

Haru did not appear surprised by his flatly honest answer, though, nor was she additionally upset by it.

"At least he is making an effort," she sighed, looking at the glass rose again. "I'm not sure what I should do now, to be honest. I feel rather conflicted."

Fran kept his thoughts to himself this time. He was not in any position to give advice after all, and it was better not to involve himself too much in the affairs of his rather touchy sempai.

Before he could do anything, however, approaching footsteps echoing from the hallways outside quickly alerted the Mist Varia to the presence of others. Sure enough, the door to the room they were currently in burst open without further warning, though its occupants were mildly surprised by the identity of the newcomers.

Haru's eyes widened slightly in confusion as she stared at the tall, blonde haired man who had just entered, the large, colorful tattoos that ran down his entire left arm unmistakable proof of his identity. His men, smartly suited and donning sunglasses like always, fell swiftly into place behind him.

"Dino-san?" she sounded rather puzzled even as she greeted the Decimo of the Cavallone Famiglia. "Why are you here?"

The older male looked visibly relieved when he caught sight of her.

"Haru-san, it's good to see you too," he greeted in his usual self-assured, confident voice, though there seemed to be a tint of urgency in his tone. "I was in the area and was asked to bring you back to Japan at the behest of Tsuna."

Haru frowned slightly at that, now genuinely surprised. Her own personal dilemma with her lover was temporarily put aside in favor of paying closer attention to the rushed air that seemed to surround the Cavallone Boss. And why would Tsuna want her back in such a hurry? He had agreed to let her stay just a couple of months ago; surely he hadn't just changed his mind? Something was not right.

"Did something happen back in Japan, Dino-san?" she asked quickly, starting to get worried.

Unfortunately, the golden-haired man nodded, giving her a small look of sympathy as he answered her.

"Your father is in the hospital, Haru-san."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

My beta had been more than happy to let me know just how evil I am to leave behind such a cliffhanger, so I assume that at least a handful of you are probably thinking of wringing my neck now. But I promise that the next chapter will be better, so do wait until then!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

I hope that most of you were entertained by Belphegor's somewhat comical attempts at a decent wedding proposal (though he is most definitely _not_ amused by his intended's constant refusals, the poor man). Our favorite maniacal lead may be a Prince and all, but he is definitely nowhere near experienced in understanding the hearts of women, and most unfortunately for him, Haru will not hesitate to deny him if all he was planning to do was badger her into an agreement to marriage.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Haru may seem weak willed and indecisive when it comes to Belphegor, especially how she had swallowed her pride and was the first to call a truce in this silent war between the two of them, but that's not the main point. I was trying to portray the depth of her love for him, the degree of her affection strong enough for her to forgo her own heartache to return to him because he needed her, and I hope some of that got through.

Also admittedly, Belphegor is ridden with flaws and is far from perfect, but he is slowly learning. His shifting dynamics with Haru is still new territory to him, so he will be floundering (and in the process, throwing tantrums) at certain aspects of their relationship.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

To be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly a fan of flowers and their meanings, nor am I an expert in floral and fauna, and therefore I had to do some quick research before I was confident enough to make use of the proper knowledge needed for this chapter. After the appropriate application of Google-fu, I learned that dark red roses actually does symbolize deep passion as well as a readiness for a long term commitment, and I thought that it fit quite well with Belphegor's feelings and agenda.

After all, he is nothing if not a blatantly in-your-face individual, so I doubt he would beat around the bush—even when he is courting Haru.

99 roses actually means 'I will love you for as long as I live,' but I reworded it a bit for obvious reasons. As of now, Belphegor is still far from being able to casually toss out the L-word, so Haru will just have to be content to have his affection for now.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

"_Una rosa dal tuo ammiratore, Signorina_," literally means 'A rose from your admirer, Miss' in Italian. I'm not at all well versed in the language, so do feel free to correct me if I have gotten the sentence wrong.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	33. Chapter 33

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6218

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 06/11/10

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Thirty Three**

* * *

Belphegor was scowling.

Again.

He was also quite twitchy and impatient and snappy, much to the mild exasperation of his Butler.

"Your Highness," the stoic middle-aged man murmured by the bedside of the irritable blonde. "You need to give Lady Haru some space to consider your courtship."

Belphegor's lips flattened with displeasure. His rapidly healing injuries were itching something fierce and all this infernal waiting was not helping improve his crabby disposition at all.

"How much longer does she need?" he griped waspishly. "This is ridiculous; I should have just tricked her into signing a marriage contract and been done with it."

Mortigor gave his annoyed master a small, reproaching look. "I do not think that the Lady will appreciate such underhanded means when it comes to her nuptials."

His butler was right, of course. Haru would most likely try to yell his ears off before doing something annoying like apply for a divorce right after. Belphegor grumbled under his breath some more, quite cross. For her, he was jumping through hoops like a damned circus clown. She had better appreciate it.

"If this courtship doesn't work, and I'm beginning to doubt its effectiveness, I'm just going to grab the stubborn woman and we are eloping," he threatened. Then he muttered disgruntledly, "I cannot believe that she gave away those roses."

The Prince sounded very much like he was sulking, though he certainly seemed to have calmed down some compared to when he had first heard his lover had given away half of the roses he had presented to her to the palace maids.

"Lady Haru kept some too, Your Highness," Mortigor reminded calmly. If anything, Belphegor just seemed to scowl harder.

"Yes, and she proceeded to use them to decorate the rooms," he snapped in retort. He gave his servant an aggravated, accusing stare. "You were the one who suggested the roses."

"Your dame Her Majesty adored roses and always surrounded herself with the fragrant blooms in the royal gardens," Mortigor merely replied unflappably. Roses were, after all, the queen of flowers. "Your Father the King showered your Mother with roses every single day of their courtship."

Belphegor caught on quickly to the source of Mortigor's inspiration.

"And let me guess, my Mother also adored having Italian poems crooned to her ears?"

"No, that was your Great Grandmother, Her Majesty the Queen Dowager."

The Prince just stared at his manservant. If it wasn't for the fact that it was tradition for the personal staff of the Royal Family to be intimately informed of every aspect of their masters, Belphegor would have felt rather disconcerted by his Butler's in depth knowledge of his various family members, especially since all of them were long dead and at least six feet underground. But the Storm Varia was used to his servant's attention to detail, had expected nothing less than the sort of thorough dedication that the older man was displaying, and therefore Belphegor was hardly perturbed.

"What other suggestions do you have from my various ancestors then?" he asked instead, and Mortigor shook his head in negative reply.

"The interests of the other past Consorts varied too differently from Lady Haru's. I highly doubt that she would enjoy participating in violent blood sports, animal baiting, or bathing in the blood of virgins."

Like their counterparts, most of the Queens of the monarchy shared in the same destructive love for bloodshed as their husbands, and Belphegor was grimly amused at the brief mental image of a bloodthirsty Haru. He snorted inwardly—the woman would probably only get that way if her desserts were being threatened.

It was then that Fran made his entrance.

The teal-haired Mist Unit Commander meandered his way into his colleague's room, sans Haru, and in his usual apathetic manner, tossed an object towards the injured blonde.

Belphegor caught it promptly in his hand, and his eyes narrowed when he saw what it was. It was the exquisite, specially made glass rose that the poets he had hired were supposed to present to Haru.

"Haru-san has bid me to return this to you," Fran remarked with usual indifference.

There was a brief pause as Belphegor quickly considered what this might mean. Not surprisingly, his expression started to darken when he drew his own conclusions. Had she rejected him _again_?

"Where is she?" he snapped out in an infuriated growl at last. If the woman wanted to say no to him, then she had damned well better say it right to his face! His temper snapped, and his grip over the glass rose tightened. This was it; if she wanted to play it this way, then he was done being considerate to her feelings. He had never been a patient man in the first place and it had already cost him a substantial portion of his pride to lower himself to woo her when he had certainly never done any such thing in his entire life before.

And now that she had refuted him once again, he was done playing the nice guy. It was a painfully short career as her 'adoring suitor' that hadn't even lasted an entire day, but Belphegor quickly found that just wasn't his style. He was much more accustomed to being the one in control, making her submit to his will by sheer manipulation and (nonlethal) force if necessary. As sophisticated and aristocratic as his refined royal bearing was, the golden-haired Prince was certainly not above behaving like a Neanderthal and dragging his woman off by the hair if it meant that she would actually stay put by his side.

Fran had the gall to give his wordlessly fuming sempai a lackadaisical shrug. "She's no longer on the castle grounds."

There was an ominous silence as the golden-haired Prince grimly processed the younger man's statement.

"No longer on the castle grounds?" Belphegor echoed darkly. "_Then where the hell is she, you damned frog_?"

The Mist Unit Commander didn't even blink at the ice in the other's tone. He tucked his hands casually into his pocket and merely replied. "Haru-san has just left Italy with the Cavallone Decimo. Xanxus has given his permission to let her go back to Japan."

The air around them immediately thickened with unmistakable fury.

She had left Italy, _left him_, without even a word? Was this her final answer then? _Was this how she was repaying him?_ _By running off with another man?_

For some unknown reason only fathomable to the man himself, Fran had decided to deliberately leave out some other pertinent facts regarding this abrupt circumstance as he watched the other Varia stew in his rising rage. He neglected to inform Belphegor that Haru had bid him to explain her unexpected, alarming situation to her lover, that she had to leave right away as Dino-san's jet was waiting idle on the airfield and her overriding concern for her Father's health had promptly hustled her from Italy and back to Japan as quickly as humanly possible.

_Tell Bel that I will contact him when I reach Japan_; she had hurriedly instructed the Mist Flame wielder as she pressed the glass rose into the younger man's hand. Tell him to keep this safe for me; I will be back for it.

Her hasty, unthinking, _unplanned_, remarks told Fran without a doubt that the pretty brunette woman had already made her decision when it came to her violent, angry lover, though the teal-haired man clearly remembered how upset she had been with the same man for his insensitive proposals and demands. In that single promise to return for Belphegor's glass rose, Miura Haru had all but indicated without words that she possessed a heart big enough to let go of all her upset and hurt and return to her lover, this time for good.

From the bedside of his Crown Prince, Mortigor held his tongue and observed the illusionist with a speculative, shrewd glance. The Butler had always had an ear tuned for every piece of news circulating within the castle, and there was no doubt that the middle-aged man was well aware of the true reason behind the Lady's swift departure, and that her leaving was not permanent. The loyal manservant did not choose to assuage his master's potent anger by clarifying the full truth, however. He could see what the normally lethargic Mist Varia was attempting to accomplish, and since that might just work in Prince Belphegor's favor in the end, Mortigor quietly subsided and allowed it to play out.

At this point, everything hinged on the decision Belphegor would make, the decision which would ultimately prove his true feelings towards his lover. Would he to attempt to cut off all ties with her, wash his hands off her as a lost cause and someone who just took too much work to be worth all the trouble or would he—

"Prepare the jet, Mortigor," the golden-haired Prince spat out coldly. He was most unmistakably pissed as hell alright, but even in his righteous wrath, he fully intended to chase down his errant woman. She was his; there was no other way, and he would teach her never to leave him, even if he had to blister her backside to get the damn point across. Then they were getting fucking married immediately and he would put an abrupt end to this nonsense of running off with random men.

Belphegor was furious that Haru had just up and left without any say so, but he wasn't blinded by jealousy enough to believe that she had something going on with the Cavallone Boss behind his back. The woman was downright incapable of subterfuge, let alone an attempt to betray him with another man. There was a reason why he could lower his guard around her, and the blonde fully trusted his instincts.

Haru was his mate, and that was why he would never let her go.

And he would show no mercy to whoever tried to take her away from her.

* * *

Haru fretted about her Father the entire thirteen hour long flight back to Japan.

Dino-san had told her that her absentminded parent had gotten into a car accident on the way home from the university he was teaching at and had gotten himself quite seriously injured. Thankfully enough, the brief, frantic phone call that she had made to Tsuna on the way to the airfield had eased her anxiety slightly. Apparently, Otou-san had suffered from a mild concussion as well as a few broken bones on top of some contusions and superficial injuries, but he was in no mortal danger and the doctors were confident that he would heal quickly. That said, Haru was still greatly concerned for her father's wellbeing and hardly rested during the trip back to Japan despite the Cavallone Boss's assurances.

By the time they arrived back in her homeland, her nerves were taut and fraying with a combination of exhaustion and worry. She politely rejected Dino-san's suggestion to rest for a bit and instead insisted on heading to the hospital to visit her father, thanking the Cavallone for the air transport before he left her outside her father's ward for the Vongola Base. Haru only felt some of the tension ease away when she finally saw for herself that her father was alive and breathing, if considerably bruised, battered and swathed with bandages.

"Oh, Dad," Haru had sighed with a mixture of exasperation and relief as she entered the private ward that housed her father. "What have you done to yourself now?"

Miura Hitoshi awoke from his light doze just in time to see his daughter sweep into the room. It took the disoriented father a brief moment or so before he could comprehend why he was seeing her when she was supposed to be off on a long term working assignment in Italy. His only child came up to him and pressed a kiss of greeting on his cheek before drawing back, her eyes alit with concern and distress over his physical condition.

Large patches of blue black bruises decorated Hitoshi's face where he had slammed headfirst against the steering wheel at the point of vehicular impact, and the heavy plaster casts that were wrapped around his arm and leg looked downright intimidating. The middle-aged professor had also broken his clavicle from the seat belt during the sudden deceleration following the crash, and all in all, looked a lot worse than he actually felt.

"Haru? What are you doing here, my girl?" the Miura patriarch croaked out with a painfully parched throat. Haru immediately took steps to remedy her father's uncomfortable situation, pouring a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table and helping him up to sip from a straw. She gently laid her father's head back onto the pillow after that, and then she gave him a small, disapproving frown.

"Really, Daddy, where else can I be after being informed that my poor father has gotten himself into a nasty car accident?" Haru began to chide sternly in a way that quickly reminded her father of his dearly departed wife. "I was so worried on the flight back. You are always so absent minded and you really need to pay more attention to your surroundings!"

It didn't take very long before Haru was busy lecturing her careless papa, and the poor man in question could only lie there and be scolded by his upset daughter, even if the accident wasn't technically his fault and was caused by the wet and stormy weather and dangerous road conditions.

"…and Tsuna told me that the car has been wrecked beyond all recognition, so it was really lucky that you managed to get away alive! Be more attentive next time—Dad, are even listening to me?" Haru paused in her nagging to give her father a suspicious stare.

The older Miura groaned and knew better than to say no. He nodded dutifully instead. His headstrong child was always so spirited and had never been afraid to make her opinions known to everyone, _this time included_.

"My dear daughter," the professor pleaded tiredly instead, hoping to appeal to her more sympathetic nature. "Let your poor father rest for now; you can lecture me when I'm feeling better."

As predicted, Haru was immediately contrite, though not contrite enough to entirely forgo her scolding, merely delay it, much to Hitoshi's dismay.

"Of course, Daddy, you should rest. Do you need anything from home? I will go get it for you. I'm in need of a change of clothes myself."

The professor gave his daughter a surprisingly sharp stare. "You should get some sleep as well, Haru," he admonished. The magical abilities granted to him as a single parent quickly ensured that her own exhaustion was not missed by his all seeing gaze. No doubt this silly girl of his had rushed all the way back from Italy the moment she heard news of his accident, Hitoshi thought fondly.

"I can always rest later. Tonight, in fact, when visiting hours are over," Haru argued firmly. "For now, why don't I ask the doctor if you can be allowed to eat already, and I will prepare something at home to bring over later?"

Hitoshi shook his head. "Thank you, my dear, but I'm not allowed to have anything substantial today. Doctor's orders. I will require lots of rest though, so take yourself off and leave me be until tomorrow, Haru."

"But Dad," Haru started to protest only for her father to make shooing motions at her. She scowled at him, well aware of what he was trying to do. Haru wanted very much to defy her parent and stay by his side, but knew that he would not rest well if she tried to be bullheaded now.

"Fine," she muttered at last, casting her father a small look of irritation. "It looks as if you don't want me here at all."

Weary, injured and discomforted as he was, Hitoshi still cast an affectionate look at his pouting daughter. She was showing her concern in the way she had always had, even when she was but a young lass and did not know how else to do so.

She might be all grown up now but the way she cared for this doddering old man had still not changed, and a healing warmth filled Hitoshi's heart, boosting his spirits in a way that nothing else could.

Of course, she would definitely be scolding him again when he was feeling better, just like her mother would have if she was still alive. Hitoshi decided that it was a good thing that he had a topic on hand to distract her with, most notably the rather startling one which Tsuna-san had carefully told him just recently. It appeared that his currently disgruntled looking offspring had gotten herself into a relationship; Hitoshi still did not know whether to feel apprehensive for his child or for the man who had clearly fallen for her.

"You are wrong, daughter dear. We have a lot of things to talk about when I'm feeling better, like that Crown Prince Tsuna-san tells me you are seeing right now, for one."

His huffy daughter quickly lost much of her hot air at his seemingly mild remark, and if it didn't hurt his injuries, Hitoshi would have chuckled out loud.

* * *

On another continent, the Prince in question was feeling nowhere as cheerful at that exact moment.

He had only gotten to board his plane moments ago, and it had been too long a wait for his tastes. His private jet had experienced some technical difficulties and could not be cleared to takeoff right away, which had resulted in an inevitable fifteen hour delay. It had been fifteen hours too long in his not-so-humble opinion, and not surprisingly, that had not helped his rapidly worsening mood any. He would have taken one of the Varia's jets alternatively if not for the fact that one had been brought in for maintenance, repair and overhaul, whereas the remaining two had been deployed to France for reconnaissance against their enemy Famiglia.

Belphegor could have sworn that the whole world was conspiring against him, and that did not make him a happy man at all. And when he was unhappy, the people around him generally tended to suffer for his displeasure—which they did.

As such, the flight engineer, the ground crew, his pilots, as well as his servants were more relieved than he was by the time the aircraft's mechanical discrepancies were straightened out and he was finally on board and taxiing on the runway in preparation for the direct flight to Japan. He was still rather irritable and short tempered, but after fifteen hours of stewing, his initial, raw fury had simmered down considerably, his agitation clearing away for his usual cunning to take its place.

By the time the plane was airborne, Belphegor was already midway through plotting what to do when he touched down in Japan. With nothing else to distract his thoughts, the blonde took his time picturing and planning different scenarios that could occur when he caught hold of his errant lover again. Unfortunately for Haru, Belphegor had a long time to think of what to do to her when he found her later, and all that thinking quickly stoked the smoldering flames of his anger.

When his aircraft landed on an airstrip in Namimori thirteen hours later, Belphegor did not miss the Cavallone jet that was parked right alongside his. The Prince's lips thinned.

It did not bode well for Haru.

* * *

"Well, daughter, are you finally ready to tell your poor, aging father what is going on with that Prince of yours?" Hitoshi asked the question that Haru had been dreading to hear all day. It had been rather amusing to watch his only child tiptoe around the subject for awhile, but the Math professor took pity on her distracted mannerisms and decided to offer her a way to start the conversation.

After all, he had not been a Father for twenty-four years without discerning the troubled and confused mannerisms of his precious daughter.

True to form, Haru bit her lip hesitantly for a brief moment before spilling all to her father.

"Oh, Daddy," she sighed softly, taking a seat on the chair by his bedside. "I really don't know what I should do!"

Hitoshi raised his brow at her quiet wail of distress, but he said nothing. Experience had taught him that his daughter would blurt out everything that troubled her given enough time, and as predicted, she did just that.

"Belphegor intends to marry me," she confided to her father next, much to Hitoshi's surprise, not that he could be blamed. He had only heard of this European Prince who was also part of the Vongola a little more than a month ago, and now they were already talking of marriage? That was…fast!

Hitoshi hid his surprise well though, and merely observed Haru instead. She looked quite torn and bewildered, the poor thing, and her father quickly sought to ease her distress.

"Do you love this man, my girl?" Hitoshi asked gently.

His daughter quickly raised large, startled eyes to him, and it was not difficult to read the truth there.

"Yes," Haru whispered without a doubt. There was no need to lie before her father. "Yes, Dad, I love him."

It was the first time she openly admitted her love for Belphegor to anyone, and much to her stunned surprise, it felt good to say it out loud. _I love him_, Haru thought again faintly, happily, and the confirmation was in the way her heart beat quickly at the thought of her golden haired lover, the way her blood sang with happiness and contentment whenever she was in his arms. _I really love him._

The look in her eyes said just about everything. His daughter had fallen in love with a man who wanted to marry her, and even though Hitoshi only knew the bare minimum about this unknown male, he did not see the problem that had Haru all up in knots over it.

"In that case, what is the problem, Haru? Why are you so upset?"

The vibrant light that shone in her honey brown eyes dimmed slightly.

"I don't think he loves me," she admitted softly. "He needs a wife to fulfill his duty to his country and his family, and I…I am convenient to him, I suppose. So he chose me."

There was a quiet sadness in his child's normally cheerful, carefree expression, and that obviously did not sit well with Hitoshi. Sawada-san had not mentioned anything about his precious little girl being taken advantage of, though, and Hitoshi frowned.

"Whatever you choose to do, Haru, you must be happy with your choice as you will have to live with it for the rest of your life," her parent told her at last. "If this Belphegor person can only upset you, then perhaps you are right in being hesitant towards this marriage proposal."

To his surprise, Haru merely shook her head, slowing squaring her shoulders and becoming slightly more confident—and determined. Hitoshi knew that look very well; it was the same expression she always wore whenever she had made up her mind over something—and would proceed to commit herself fully to the decision that she made. He also could not help but realize that she no longer looked as troubled as before.

"Dad, talking to you about this has helped me to clear my thoughts and reveal to me what I should do," she told him honestly. "Bel…makes me happy, even if I'm not sure if he can love me. But…I know I love him very much, and because of that, I want to stay with him for as long as I can." The conviction in her voice was unmistakable, but then she looked at her father, and suddenly seemed uncertain of his reaction.

"Am I being too rash and foolish, Daddy?" she asked softly, genuinely interested to hear her father's thoughts. She had always been the typical Daddy's Little Girl, and like always, she wanted his approval and support over this most important, life altering decision.

Hitoshi was briefly silent. He remembered teaching Haru himself when she was a lot younger, teaching her calculus, probability, the stable, methodical world of mathematics. His daughter was such a genius with numbers, but now—

"Yes, you are being a bit rash and foolish," Hitoshi replied at last, but before his only offspring could droop with disappointment over his disapproval, he continued carefully, "but then again, love makes one do strange things. Love is not a tangible substance that can be measured and calculated. Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith."

It went without saying that should she fall, Hitoshi would step in to catch her. She had his blessings to do whatever made her happy, and Haru would have launched herself at her father if not for his currently injured stare. The brunette gave him a grateful, watery beam instead.

"Thank you, Daddy."

* * *

Haru was feeling much more relaxed by the time she left her Father's room. It was getting late and visiting hours were just over. Talking things out with her dear old Otou-san never failed to make things all better for her every time she did it, and Haru was glad to have his unwavering support. This trip to Japan had definitely been a blessing in disguise, she thought.

As the brunette walked down the hospital hallway, she formed her plans for the evening quickly in her head. She decided that she would call Belphegor when she got home later. No doubt he would be quite displeased with her sudden disappearance, but that could not be helped. Someone in the castle must have told him of the circumstances behind her abrupt departure by now, so hopefully he would understand that she was only worried for her Father.

Unfortunately for Haru, Belphegor was still kept pretty much in the dark when it came to the car accident that had prompted her to fly back quickly to her parent's side, and when she heard the commotion coming from the hospital lobby, she had only been mildly curious to see what was going on. From the distance she was at, it appeared that someone was kicking up a huge fuss at the reception area, and that cold, threatening voice that floated over to her ears sounded awfully familiar…

The poor nurse manning the reception desk was having a difficult time convincing the blonde haired foreigner that they could not tell him the patient's room number if he did not have the patient's full name. Not surprisingly, that prompted the incensed man to start cursing loud enough to embarrass everyone in the immediate vicinity, and then he had started accusing the baffled nurse of secretly working for the Cavallone Famiglia, whatever that meant.

Haru had stared, stunned at the sight of her lover here—in Japan. It took her very little time to identify Belphegor. He had recovered from his battle related injuries well enough to be moving about now, but his wrist was still set in a splint, and really, only he would have no qualms creating so much havoc in a hospital. He was supposed to be in Italy but here he was, agitated and kicking up a ruckus whilst looking for her.

Her last thought stuck irrepressibly in her head.

He was looking for her. He had come to Japan _for her_.

Of course, he looked rather agitated and brassed off by his continent hopping/woman finding endeavor, and would no doubt be yelling at her for that later on, but it still warmed her heart that he was here for her. Haru felt even more certain of her decision to stay by him there and then, her quiet conviction to never leave his side felt so right to her.

And so she moved quickly towards Belphegor before he could completely terrorize everyone around him, which was a good call because the frustrated man was very close to losing his temper completely and whipping out his blades to redecorate the faces of some people. Not to mention, the nurses whom he had been intimidating were also beginning to consider calling up some orderlies to escort this clearly unstable stranger to the psych ward for a mental evaluation.

"Bel," Haru called out softly from behind him, and then she waited to be acknowledged.

The Prince turned around sharply at the sound of her voice, and there she was, standing a few paces away, apparently hale and hearty and looking at him with a soft, wondering gaze.

Belphegor stared at her for a good moment or so before his upper lip curled into an angry sneer.

"Where is that damn Cavallone? I'm going to kill him," he growled out in declaration, much to her bewilderment. It was definitely not what she had expected out of a greeting from him, that was for sure. Before she could ask, he reached out, grabbed her wrist almost painfully, and proceeded to drag her out of the hospital, where more than a few puzzled individuals were watching the scene with downright confusion.

"Cavallone…?" Haru had repeated as she hurried after her fuming lover, unsure of what he was so angry about this time around. "Are you referring to Dino-san?"

He came to a halt in a deserted corner outside the building and turned to glare at her.

"On intimate terms with the Cavallone Boss now, aren't you?" he sniped cuttingly, and she stared at him without understanding.

"Well, I'm grateful to Dino-san for flying me back to Japan," she explained cautiously, still not sure why he was so angry. Unfortunately, her reply had only made him fume harder. His grip on her tightened furiously, and Haru had to keep from wincing at the pressure he was exerting on her arm. She was definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow.

He brought his face close to hers, his hot breath brushing against her cheek. The look on his face was one of immense anger, and for a brief moment, Haru wondered if she should be afraid of him.

"_I will never let you leave me_, _do you understand_?" he rasped furiously to her, simply livid that she had the gall to tell him how grateful she was to the man who had helped her escape his side. "I will find you no matter where you go_._"

His promise would have sounded awfully creepy if not for the fact that Haru did not have a clue what he was talking about. Something was definitely wrong here, that much she could surmise. He was truly irate and very agitated, and all Haru wanted to do right at the moment was to calm him down and soothe his fierce temper.

"But Bel," she answered him quickly, her hand coming up to rest against the side of his face gently, trying to ease the way he was clenching his jaw. "I never planned to leave you. I don't even want to leave you. Who told you that?"

She sounded quite outraged herself though he continued to glare unforgivingly at her, unconvinced by her reply.

"If that is so, why the hell have you fled back to Japan?" he demanded sharply, his hold on her still not loosened, almost as if he was not risking the chance of her jetting off at first opportunity. Haru had no intention to go anywhere, of course, at least not until this was settled, and she showed it by remaining perfectly relaxed and unthreatened in his hold. Experience had taught her that it was best not to fight Bel when he was in this dangerous, volatile mood, and he would never hurt her if she did not attempt to resist him.

Haru frowned at his question, though.

"I didn't flee back to Japan," she denied instantly. "I came back because my father had gotten himself into a car accident and had been hospitalized. Didn't Fran-san tell you?"

For a moment, he said nothing, merely looked hard at her as if intent to read the truth from her eyes, but she was not lying and he could detect no trace of deceit in her clear gaze. And then, everything started to make sense.

He had been tricked.

He had allowed his usually sound judgment to be affected by the carefully chosen bits of information that Fran had divulged, and without thinking to ask for more details, had been too blinded by anger to do anything else but charge straight off to Japan to retrieve Haru. Now that he thought of it, his damn butler was most definitely also in on this farce as well. There was just no way Mortigor was not aware of the events happening within the castle, but instead of informing his Prince the truth, the man had chosen to keep his silence and watch as Belphegor made a complete fool out of himself.

"I am going to kill that damn frog," the blonde hissed, now angry for an entirely different reason. His list of people to maim was certainly getting longer by the minute.

Haru was also beginning to put the pieces together, it seemed.

"Fran-san didn't tell you." she realized with dawning comprehension. "You thought that I was running away from you with Dino-san."

Haru sounded stunned, and if he hadn't been sure that she had no part in this entire farce, then Belphegor was definitely convinced by now. He did not reply to her statement, however, and much to his chagrin, was beginning to feel more than a little foolish over this entire debacle.

But his lover was not one to give up easily, even if she still appeared quite astonished by it all. While Belphegor was thinking of a way to extricate himself gracefully from this ridiculous situation, Haru was staring at him like she had never seen him before.

And perhaps she really hadn't. Hadn't seen him behave like this before, that was.

There was no doubt in her mind now that he had come all the way to Japan with every intention of taking her back with him, willingly or not. Never mind that he had unhealed injuries from when he had fought off the enemies of the Vongola and that he looked like he needed some decent amount of rest, _but he had still come_. He was a self admittedly spoilt, petulant assassin Prince, and Haru knew her lover enough to understand that he was not the type to lower his pride and do things like this on a casual basis, or even on a whim. To come rushing after her like he had spoke of something that he had never managed to show her before—and that gave her immeasurable hope.

He needed her enough to want to keep her with him, and the warmth in her heart quickly grew to encompass her entire being. It was as if there was a million little winglets fluttering against her insides, making her tremble inwardly with a mixture of love and slow understanding.

Belphegor might not be in the habit of talking about his feelings, but that was perfectly alright. Haru was more than capable of reading between the lines. She had always known that he had to care for her at least a little, and this incident had helped to show her how much. It seemed that she owed Fran-san her gratitude for orchestrating this entire situation to put her worries to rest, no matter how vocally Belphegor would disagree.

She looked at her lover. He was still vastly irritated alright, but at least he was no longer feeling murderous now that the truth was out. They were standing in the middle of a deserted walkway just outside the hospital where anyone who happened to walk by would have seen them, but neither paid their open location any heed, completely focused on each other.

Haru stroked the side of his face again, tenderly, trying her best to return the comfort that his touch had always brought her whenever she was upset over something (though more often than not her upset was related to him). It worked, for his tensed, agitated form started to relax slightly, and she moved closer to him, carefully sliding her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder and holding on to him in a firm embrace that she hoped would convey to him that she was not planning to go anywhere.

Slowly, he relaxed further.

"I won't go anywhere," she told him quietly. "Even if you tell me to leave, I won't."

His arms snaked around her waist, holding her so tightly that she almost had difficulty breathing.

Then, he spoke, his voice rough.

"Marry me."

This time around, it was a request. He did not demand, but neither did he plead. His touch gentled, became silently coaxing, and his lips brushed lightly against the curve of her ear.

Haru closed her eyes and nuzzled the side of his neck with unbridled affection. Right here, within the circle of his arms, she was content.

"Yes, I will marry you."

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I can almost hear you guys going "Yes! After 33 longwinded chapters of ups and downs, they are _finally_ getting somewhere! Now, if everything goes smoothly, then they'd actually manage to get married without further mishaps, live happily ever after, and this horrendously long fic won't stretch for a gazillion more chapters!"

Terribly sorry to burst your bubble(s), but I personally find that a realistic happily ever after is quite challenging to write and that it becomes doubly so when Belphegor is mixed into the equation. (For some reason or another, any attempt to picture Belphegor in his happy place only brings to mind a lot of maniacal laughter and bloodshed. I wonder why?)

So yes, thanks to our favorite resident psycho prince (who will still require an incredulous amount of rehabilitation and retraining before he can even qualify as a quasi-normal husband—poor Haru), this fic is still far from finished. You know how video games always have 'save points?' Well, this fic has 'end points,' and this chapter happens to be one of them. The second one, actually; the first such point was at Chapter 28, if I'm not wrong.

Specifically designed for the lazy/impatient individuals who feel that the plot progression is too slow and/or no longer interests them, end points are the perfect one stop solution for the average discontented readers! With end points, readers can either a) pretend that the fic is completed, or b) imagine their own perfect endings for the fic (e.g 'And they lived happily ever after. The end!')! Isn't that nifty?

…But seriously, bullshit aside (I'm so full of it today, I know), 'Of Sparrows and Princes' is nowhere near completion yet. It is at most only two thirds done, closer to half actually, and not-so-recently, planning and character conception of Bel/Haru!fanbabies have also gotten underway, although I'm still undecided whether to write them into this fic—which is going to be epic enough as it is.

Anyway, that's all for writing updates concerning 'Of Sparrows and Princes.' Hoped you guys like this chapter as much as I had enjoyed writing it, bad clichés and all (because Bel really needs the obvious pointed out to him when it comes to relationships of the emotional kind!)!

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Before I forget, this chapter introduces Haru's father, Miura Hitoshi. I recall that in canon-verse, Haru's dad has made a cameo appearance once as the math professor who wasn't able to solve a complex question that Reborn was later able to crack quite easily. I don't remember a name being attached to Haru's dad then and unfortunately, I also wasn't able to find n official name online as well, so I made do and named him Hitoshi instead. If any of you have any luck locating the name of Haru's dad, kindly drop me a message and let me know as well!

Also, I'm not really certain if Haru's mother is still alive or not in canon-verse, but for this fic, she passed away from a terminal illness when Haru was very young.

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Fran is secretly a Froggy matchmaker!

Actually, not really. He is just answering the question that Haru had asked of him last chapter—in his own obscure way, of course. Haru is intensely grateful for his halfhearted manipulation, but he'd better steer clear of Belphegor for awhile!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	34. Chapter 34

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7291

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 19/11/10

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**Chapter Thirty Four**

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Haru's ready agreement to his marriage proposal for the nth time had come as something of an unexpected surprise to Belphegor, especially when she had rejected all of his earlier attempts. The fact that he had still asked all the same spoke of his determination to have her. She would not know, but he would have kept asking (or demanding) for as long as she refused to wed him.

The golden-haired assassin pulled back sharply to stare at his lover, and she gazed back at him with steady eyes, the small, gentle smile on her face assuring him that he had not misheard, that she had indeed just agreed to marry him. He quickly recovered from his surprise and started to grin maniacally instead, his previously irate temperament dissipating quickly to be replaced by pleased satisfaction.

"Say it once more," he insisted, and she obliged him with a shyness that had seemed to have suddenly pervaded her entire being.

"I accept your proposal, Bel. I will marry you."

Belphegor savored the fierce triumph he felt over Haru's admission. He had finally caught her, or at least, she had finally allowed him to catch her. He hooked his thumb under her chin and tilted her head to meet her soft, doe brown eyes.

"You will not regret this," he told her firmly. "You will have everything you want as my Queen."

Before she could reply to that, he caught her hand in his and started to pull her along. He did not allow both of them to bask in their newly engaged status. No; after all, there was much to do now that he had her consent, but the most important one of all would be the act of marriage itself.

Belphegor was definitely in a hurry to sign those papers that would once and for all bind himself and Haru in holy matrimony till death do they part. He was determined to get it done before something else could crop up (as it always did) and that might cause his lover to change her mind. It had been difficult enough to convince her to say yes; Belphegor certainly had no desire to repeat the experience again, especially when he had no idea whatsoever what the reason was behind her sudden agreement this time.

The golden-haired Prince mentally made plans to contact Alaisdair as soon as possible; his retainer was ridiculously well connected and would be able to procure him a special license almost immediately upon demand. He would have to return with Haru to Italy right away to get married before a minister, and they would require a couple of legit witnesses to attend their marital union. As his steward and the one who would report and confirm his wedded status to the Royal Council, Alaisdair would have to be one of the two, and Belphegor swiftly figured that one of his Varia colleagues could volunteer to be the other.

It certainly wasn't forming up to be the glamorous, fairy tale type weddings of most royal families, but even that would come in time, after Belphegor had ensured that his bond with Haru would be made ironclad and downright impossible to break by his crafty, meddling advisors. With luck, the fuming group of conservatives would eventually have to accept that their Crown Prince had gone behind their backs and had gotten himself married to a title-less foreigner with plebian roots. Since they could do nothing more about Belphegor's choice of brides, they would definitely turn their attention to demanding an extravagant (and by default, downright painful) wedding procession to announce his marriage to the rest of the world.

It was all so damn predictable that it was almost boring.

Haru tugged him to a stop then.

"Wait; where are we going?" she asked, quickly sensing the brisk air of purpose around him.

"We are getting married."

Her eyes grew large.

"N-now?" she squeaked out in a pitch higher than her usual tone, stunned by his reply.

He let go of her hand to make a call to the chauffer with his cell phone, and once he was done, he shot her a small scowl. She definitely did not look like a blushing bride-to-be at the moment. In fact, she just appeared more shell shocked than anything else.

"But I only just agreed to marry you!" she mumbled with quiet protest.

"Well, I'm not about to wait around until you change your mind again," he simply retorted. "We are getting this done as soon as possible."

Haru could not help but start to feel indignant at his tone.

"No, I don't want to get this done as soon as possible." She was starting to scowl as well. "This is my marriage as well and I don't want to rush through it as if it's a particularly unpleasant task to get over with."

She was starting to look obstinate, and it didn't take a genius to understand that if he did not address her concerns right now, he was going to have to deal with one very unhappy bride later on.

"Oh, for god's sake, you will have that full wedding later, horse carriage, fireworks and all," he replied distractedly, in the process of typing a message to Alaisdair to procure the special license. "We are eloping now so that my royal advisors don't get the opportunity to oppose this marriage, so excuse me if I am impatient to get all the relevant documents signed and filed as quickly as possible."

That was certainly news to Haru. She stared at her lover.

"Your people won't approve?" she asked hesitantly.

He turned to stare at her.

"You are a foreigner, born from common bloodstock and neither wealthy nor famous. By the measure of my bloodline alone, I'm already well out of your league." He was not boasting, just speaking matter-of-factly. That didn't make it sound any better to Haru, however.

Her frown deepened.

"If that is so, why are you so insistent on marrying me then?" she demanded to know.

He smirked at her, returning his phone to his pocket after sending the message to his steward.

"For one, it pisses the Royal Council off to no end whenever I go off and do something like this," he told her with a small, cocky grin. She looked at him with disbelief.

"Was that why you chose me?" she sputtered incredulously, starting to feel hurt in the process. Her expression told him quite clearly what she thought, and the flash of insecurity that he saw in her eyes pleased him. She was well and truly caught by him now, and her emotional dependence on him put him further at ease in this relationship of theirs. She would never be free of him just as he would never be free of her, and with that sobering thought in mind, he gave her the truth.

"Didn't you get the memo with those truckloads of roses I sent you? I chose you because you are the only one I want," he informed her with point blank bluntness, and then he watched with unhidden amusement as her self-righteous bluster quickly fled and her face slowly turned a rosy hue of pleasure and embarrassment.

"Oh." Haru could only mutter lamely in reply, flustered. She had forgotten about that, what with all the resulting chaos of her father's hospitalization and all that flying about from Italy to Japan. "I hadn't gotten the chance to say it yet, but thank you for the flowers. They were really pretty."

"Really pretty," he repeated disgruntledly. He had spent a small fortune on those rare roses and it just figured that they were only 'really pretty' to her. No doubt those ridiculously expensive poets and musicians must have sounded like nothing more than an amateurish group of street buskers to her inexpert ears. He should have just saved the money and bought her tickets to the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. God knew that simple gesture would have made her happy enough to agree to whatever he wanted.

One thing was for sure; this was going to be the first and last time he followed Mortigor's suggestions to romance Haru.

"Let's go; the chauffer is waiting out front," Belphegor urged as they started to move again, herding her purposefully along the walkway. "With luck, we will have this whole thing done back in Italy by tomorrow."

"Italy?" Haru did not sound agreeable to that at all. "I can't go back to Italy now! My Dad is still in the hospital and he needs care!"

"I will have Alaisdair hire an entire platoon of medical staff to see to his injuries," Belphegor waved away her concerns. Haru was not appeased, though.

"I want my Dad to witness this marriage, so we have to do it here in Japan," she insisted.

"No," he rejected her request almost immediately. "Alaisdair will have the papers waiting for us back at the Varia Castle. We go to him now."

Haru shook her head quickly, not liking this decision that he had made.

"I'm not marrying you without my father's blessing," she informed him obstinately. "We will do it here or we won't do it at all."

Before Belphegor could scowl at his lover and all of her troublesome demands, she blurted out, "and he also demands to see you before the ceremony, by the way."

He stopped to stare at her.

"Your father _demands_ to see me," he repeated with a tint of incredulity coloring his tone. Haru shrugged slightly, not understanding the reason behind his surprise.

"You will be his son-in-law soon enough," she explained. "Of course Daddy will be interested in getting to know you. You are about to marry his only child, after all."

She looked at him and continued. "It has always been Dad and I for as long as I can remember. Okaa-san passed away from an illness when I was too young to remember, and Daddy has been the one to raise me from infancy. He has always tried his best for me, even when it sometimes appears like he has no idea what to do with himself. In other words, I greatly love and respect my Father very much; do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

She was giving him such a look of expectation, and he scowled.

"You want me to treat your Father with love and respect," he concluded in a somewhat astonished tone, as if he had no idea just how he had wound up in this conversation. Not to mention her ridiculous demand. He was a born and bred Prince! Did she really expect him to fawn and simper over her Father?

Evidently, Haru did.

"Kindly recall that he will be your Father as well when we marry," she reminded him. "But of course you will need to gain his approval first."

Belphegor only had one thing to say about that.

"Hell."

Haru didn't look very amused by his blasphemy. If anything, she appeared more exasperated.

"My Dad is a simple and easy to please person, Bel. The least you can do is put his worries to rest. Just assure him that you aren't taking advantage of me and will never hurt me."

"So you want me to walk up to him and lie my ass off?" he asked acerbically whereas she arched her brow at him.

"I cannot tell you how relieved I am to know that you are being so honest," she muttered back at him with equal sarcasm, though she did not shrug him off when he wrapped his uninjured arm around her shoulders and nudged her to keep moving.

Instinctively, she moved closer to him, quietly relishing in his heat and familiar scent. Apparently, she understood him quite well, and that even though he had just as much as implied that he was not above taking advantage of her and refused to promise that he would never hurt her, Haru was well aware that he would never _deliberately_ cause her any distress.

"What will I get out of this?" he asked then, his tone silky. His mood was definitely much improved now as compared to half an hour ago, when he had been snappy and furious and utterly convinced that she had been trying to leave him.

"You will get my hand in marriage, for one," she retorted saucily. "As well as exclusively reserved rights to my bed. And speaking of bed," she paused, turned slightly towards him and ran her fingers lightly across the upper slopes of his sharp cheekbone, displacing his fringe and shedding light on the upper portion of his handsome face. It wasn't hard to see the shadows under his beautiful golden eyes, and her own gaze softened with concern as she gently rubbed the soft pad of her thumb against the bruised flesh. The pale skin that he was born with, that easily showcased the bluish green veins in which his royal blood coursed through—hence the term 'blueblood'—was also extremely quick to reflect any flaws on his fair complexion.

"You haven't slept much in the past few days, have you?" she asked quietly, though not exactly expecting any reply from him. Her hand dropped from his face and she caught his hand instead, and she started to pull him along, suddenly determined to get moving.

"Come on," she urged him. "Let's go to my house. You look like you need a bath, food, and sleep, all in that order."

He did not deny her observation. In fact, he tacked on several other points that she had missed. "I'm also still injured, if you remember. And whose fault was it that I had to cross continents to chase after my bride-to-be when I could have been resting and recuperating?"

He was definitely being deliberately difficult just because he could, and even though Haru would have liked to point out that it was his own fault for not checking the facts first, she wisely held her tongue and allowed him to vent. And vent he did. He was still grumbling about it by the time they made it into the waiting vehicle, and Haru could almost imagine him being even more touchy and cantankerous as an old man. It was certainly an amusing thought to peruse for awhile, and it distracted her quite nicely from all the unjust accusations that Belphegor was muttering at her, that was for sure.

A part of her wondered just when she had grown so accustomed to Bel, so comfortable around him, this maniacal, dangerous assassin who also happened to be her lover, that she could feel apparently safe with him even when he was in a perfectly foul temper. He must have felt the same way too, for he was never quite able to retain much of that jaded, sardonic composure that he so often employed around others when he was in her presence. He must have felt perfectly comfortable with her as well, enough to let her see him with most of his defenses down.

The small hope she had that he might one day learn to care about her like she had always wanted him to grew just a bit more.

They reached the small property that she had grown up in with little difficulty. Belphegor would have preferred to retire to a hotel suite but Haru would have none of it, at least not if he planned to spend the night with her by his side. The golden-haired Prince had relented reluctantly at last if for nothing more than the promise of a restful sleep. Tracking down fleeing future Princess Consorts was an exhausting endeavor as he had taken the time to remind Haru once and again, though of course, she had been so exasperated that she had kissed him to shut him up and then demanded he quit complaining.

That didn't work very well once she stopped kissing him and had to pry his lecherous hands and mouth off her body. Belphegor was determined to extract his pound of flesh for all the trouble that she had caused him, though, and he did it by waspishly nitpicking everything in her 'pitifully inadequate' house. His lack of beauty sleep had apparently left him more sharp tongued than ever, and he criticized everything, from the ridiculous cubbyhole of a bathroom to the simple (but admittedly comfortable) furnishings. Haru knew that he was only irritable from having not enough sleep, and so she kept the lid on her temper even though he was being a rather rude guest and kept insisting on insulting her home.

Thankfully enough, he quit baiting her by the time they prepared for bed. She had brought him to her bedroom and it had apparently struck his curiosity enough to examine this private sanctuary of hers in which she had grown up.

Like the rooms of most Japanese homes, hers was rather small and compact. It also reflected her tidy and meticulous nature, for there was nothing out of place in her bedroom. The shelves that lined the wall were crammed full of books on a wide variety of subjects, and the small study desk beside it was kept neat and free of loose documents of any sort. Her lack of interest in jewelries and baubles showed in the sparse feminine trinkets that appeared here and there, almost as if they were mere afterthoughts. A closet by the door kept her clothes and other various belongings, and nestled in the corner of the room was a western style bed.

The simple bed frame was pushed against the wall and supported a modestly sized mattress that nearly overflowed with bright colorful pillows and a duvet, as well as a few worn but well loved stuffed toys. Her room exuded a lived in, comfortable atmosphere that reminded him of its owner, and in this humble space that was even smaller than his walk in closet, Belphegor lowered his guard slowly and allowed himself to relax.

The blonde sauntered over to the bed and picked up a floppy looking plush bunny that listed to one side. The toy animal looked old but clean and stared back at the quietly smirking Prince with its dull black glass eyes. Haru flushed slightly with embarrassment when he waved her Mr. Snuggles lazily at her, and she quickly stalked towards him to snatch her childhood toy from his grasp. The brunette promptly cleared away the rest of her precious plushies that carried several dear childhood memories and significance to them, and then started to pull back the duvet in preparation for sleep.

"I know you are not accustomed to sleeping in such a small bed, but you will just have to make do for now-"

Before she could finish her sentence and straighten from preparing the bed, he gave her a small push and tumbled her onto the mattress with little preamble, and she went down with a small, unprepared squeak of his name.

"Bel!"

He stood over her and watched her disheveled form as she laid amongst the small cozy nest of pillows and comforter, that idle, cunning smile on his face disappeared quickly as his interest in her developed a more physical, carnal nature.

"Well, this bed is indeed pathetically small, but you and I shall fit quite well in it together, won't we, my dear wife-to-be?"

She blinked at his silky drawl, and then her attention was caught by the leisurely, deliberate way he was undressing himself. She watched him with a slowly rising sense of anticipation as he languidly removed the shirt and then the pants that he had put on after showering earlier, at last leaving him completely nude to her gaze.

Haru felt her heart start to beat faster with sexual awareness, and she licked her dry lips. Her darkened eyes caressed a loving path down his lean, chiseled body, from his sleek, well defined pectorals to his narrowed, sculpted hips and then down to his wirily muscular thighs and legs. She settled at last on the throbbing erection that thrust proudly from his groin, and promptly felt an answering pulse of urgent lust from the spot between her legs.

The celibacy that she had imposed on them both for the past few weeks had affected him just as much as it had her. Now that his more inhibiting injuries had healed and they had more or less settled the disagreements that had kept them apart, the overwhelming, pent up desire they had for each other simply shattered the dam of their control.

Haru reached for Belphegor wordlessly, her eyes soft, eager to feel him against her again, _inside her_. Her lover came to her with little encouragement, and she turned her head and met his mouth with her own, her arms coming around him in a welcoming, willing embrace as he settled himself between her legs. He seemed to relax instinctively as he laid over her, and she kissed him with a warm, fervent enthusiasm that he quickly reciprocated. Her deft, wet tongue danced sensually against his and their lips caught and clung to each other's again and again, with an increasing need that thrummed urgently through their bodies. Haru took his lower lip into her mouth and nibbled the soft flesh between her teeth, sucking gently and swiping her tongue playfully against him.

He groaned into her mouth and crowded her further into the bed, intent on quickly divesting her of her clothes so that they could move on to much more pleasurable matters. She was most accommodating and squirmed against him as he pulled her knee length skirt off her. She wriggled out of her panties even as she continued to kiss him deeply, and she eagerly parted her thighs for him when he moved his hand between their entwined bodies and probed between the sensitive juncture of her legs, dipping his finger into her moist, snug channel. She was already wet for him. Her sleek, hot muscles contracted around him immediately, and she pushed her hips towards him even as a soft husky moan escaped her kiss reddened lips.

"Bel," she breathed his name dazedly, turning her head and dropping quick, wet kisses down the side of his neck. "I want you, _I want you_."

Her blouse was mostly undone by then and had slipped off her shoulders in a deliciously sexual disarray, and he had unhooked her bra and pushed the confining material away to reveal the small, modest globes of her breasts. His mouth latched quickly onto one of her rosy, flowering nipples and he began to suck hard, and she pressed herself to him instinctively, the curve of her spine arching most beautifully as she gasped and tangled her fingers amongst his tousled hair. She quivered as he pushed a second finger into her sleek, tight depths, at the same time rolling the little sensitive nub of concentrated nerve endings that was her clitoris with his thumb and driving her wild with pleasure. Then, he curled his digits rhythmically inside of her and started to move them in and out between her restless thighs, mimicking the very act that he had been aching to do to her for weeks.

Haru panted into his neck and tried to move with him to the best of her abilities. She licked and nipped lightly into the flesh of his earlobe with impatience as he continued to tease her, and then she keened softly when he laid her flat on her back and started to concentrate on the task of seeing to her gratification, employing his intimate knowledge of her body to quickly and surely rush her to the edge of her release. She tried to reciprocate his gift to her and reached for his painfully erect shaft, shakily wrapping her small fingers around his hard length and squeezing and caressing his fevered flesh.

He felt like velvet covered steel to her, and her tight inner walls clenched with anticipation of when he would finally sheathe himself inside of her. He growled throatily against her soft breast and flexed his hips instinctively into her hand, clearly approving of her enthusiasm. Writhing under him, Haru was more than happy to pleasure her lover just as he was doing to her.

There was something infinitely thrilling about how they were making love here in this room, on the very bed that she had been sleeping in since she was a child. Surrounded by all the things that had accompanied her as she grew from girl to woman, he had every intention of taking everything that she had to give. Soon, she would be wholly his, and that pleased him more than he had thought possible.

And tonight, here, in this bedroom, she would give herself to him.

Haru could feel that she was very near completion. It felt as if it had been so long since he had last laid his hands on her, and she was not surprised that her body was reacting with such intense sensitivity to his knowing touch. She felt gloriously alive under Bel, and she was all but vibrating with pent up sexual energy that was just waiting to be released by him. Her lover was being such an incorrigible tease though, Haru thought with some degree of frustration, and it was terribly evil of him to place her teetering at the precipice of what was promising to be a powerful orgasm and leave her hanging there.

"Belphegor, I want you now," she demanded in between moans, the fingers that she had intertwined his hair tightening with impatient agitation as she willfully sought his attention to her needs. His head was still bent over her breasts, and his hot mouth was busily attending to the pink, swollen buds of her nipples, and even though his voracious, almost aggressive suckling was making her grow even moister with desire, it did not help at all to ease the overwhelming sexual pressure that had grown to an unbearable pitch between her legs. She was all but humping his hand desperately for relief, though he easily controlled the pace of this maddening foreplay until Haru inexorably lost her temper.

"Damn it, Bel," the brunette burst out crossly at last, tugging sharply at his hair in emphasis. "I want you inside me _now_!"

He grunted at her show of force and released her now reddened areola to move up to catch her protesting mouth with his. She was still stroking his turgid phallus with decided urgency, pumping his hardness repeatedly through the closed fist of her hand. He kissed her hard and hungrily, and she reciprocated in kind, almost as if she was a starving succubus who desired nothing more than to swallow him whole. Bel quickly found himself straining with the anticipation of sliding home into her welcoming body. No other woman had ever responded to him so readily and with such sweet fervor, and her passion for him simply inflamed his own already zealous lust for her.

He slipped his dampened fingers out of her, much to her whimper of disappointment, and took her hand off his shaft. She perked back up again though when he moved her in place under him. Belphegor kissed her with fierce, uninhibited carnality. He kissed her like his life depended on it. His mouth slanted against hers again and again, igniting an uncontrollable vortex of want and need between the two lovers. Then he pulled away to watch her.

Haru drew up her knees and rubbed the insides of her thighs against the sides of his taut flanks with impatient affection as he took his time mounting her. Her hand slipped from amongst his hair to the broad expense of his lean shoulders and narrow waist, stroking his back distractedly as she dropped quick kisses down his pectorals. She licked at one of his male nipples before restlessly taking the small bud in her mouth and sucking softly, mimicking what he had done to her earlier on. The husky groan that emanated from the blonde as a result told his lover that he enjoyed her ministrations, and she would have gladly continued her pleasurable endeavor if not for the slight movement he made that promptly nudged his stiff erection against the entrance of her soft, beguiling heat.

Haru mewed and promptly squirmed instinctively under him to try to get him inside of her. Unfortunately, he easily held her down and kept her from taking things into her own hands, so to speak. She promptly lost interest in what she was doing in favor of paying attention to what he was doing. Releasing his flat nipple after one last, erotic lick, Haru looked at Belphegor only to see him watching her with a fierce, almost feral gaze.

It startled her, that look of intensity that he was directing purely on her. Even through the disorienting and heady haze of lust and passion, Haru had never seen him look at her like this before whenever they were having sex. Unbidden, a small sliver of concern slipped through distracting desire and sexual tension between them, and Haru softly laid her hand against his cheek.

"Are you okay, Bel?" she asked, her voice husky.

Watching as the gentle doe brown of her eyes focus on him with clarity made something within him clench with primal need.

_This woman is mine_, he thought with near savage satisfaction, and he needed to hear her confirm it.

"Mine," he hissed out harshly. "You are mine. Say it, Haru."

She looked up at him and knew what he wanted from her. Her dewy gaze did not waver from his hard, demanding one when she replied, her hand caressing the side of his face gently.

"Yours," she promised softly, surely. "I'm yours."

He was still not satisfied.

"_Forever_," he breathed. It wasn't a question.

Haru's eyes softened, and she nodded.

"Forever."

He crushed her to him then, and she barely had time for a quick intake of air as he pushed sharply into her, and then that short moment of _acknowledgement_ they shared was gone, and they were thrown back into the wild, wonderful chaos of their frantic love making. Her body was quick to relish in the way he filled her to fullness, and her heart soared at the unspoken concession that he had just shown her. Her legs wrapped automatically around his lean hips even as he hilted himself fully within her, and she muffled a whimper of pleasure even as he groaned at the exquisite sensation of erotic intimacy that they shared.

He buried his face against her neck for a brief moment, and then he snaked his arm around her waist and anchoring her to him thusly, he rolled under her, swiftly reversing their positions. She sprawled against him in a completely ungainly manner, but the heady friction from his unexpected move quickly had her completely distracted. His hand reached between their joined bodies to play with her taut little clitoris, and before long, she was clenching her inner muscles hard and helplessly over the erection that he had buried deep inside her.

She was so high strung and sensitive to his touch by then that it did not take long for him to push her off the edge. The much anticipated tide of her climax slammed into her with unexpected intensity, and Haru could not help but shudder and emit a soft cry of fulfillment as she arched instinctively into her lover and came completely undone in his arms.

She felt vibrantly alive and so very beautiful to him at that moment, her sleek, nubile body trembling against his as she rode out the powerful orgasm that took hold of her, leaning so very trustingly against him as she eagerly fed off the mind consuming pleasure that he had generously gifted her. In return, the sheer, exquisite way her small, snug channel rippled and contracted continuously, helplessly, around his sheathed length did very interesting things to his self control. The little, uneven gasps of his name that escaped her lips seemed to make his blood rush straight to his groin, and the sweet, affectionate manner she peppered open mouthed, wet kisses haphazardly over his chest and neck and face made him growl with the sudden urge to never let her go.

_Mine forever. _

Haru was still quite dazed and shaky from her orgasm when he started to move. Or rather, Belphegor simply circled her waist with his hands and slowly lifted her off him. She was pliant in his arms, momentarily sated; her legs were still wobbly and he doubted that she could support her own weight right now. She curled trustingly into him and wrapped her arms around his neck automatically. The delicious friction that the mushroomed ridge of his erection made against her tight, squeezing inner walls as he pulled out of her quickly set off the hypersensitive nerve endings situated there. Her breathing became shaky and she twitched spasmodically around him, her hot, wet sheathe rippling around him in a vain effort to keep him in her.

She pressed her face to the side of his and moaned softly, her fingers tightening against his bare shoulders as he paused and hovered briefly, _playfully_ under her, keeping her suspended from what she wanted. Haru could feel the head of his penis just lingering barely within the entrance of her slick, grasping passage, and he easily held her in place even when she wriggled in unspoken demand to be sat back down upon his rigid shaft. The throbbing desire that had just been assuaged mere minutes ago was returning to Haru with a vengeance, and she bit lightly onto his ear to let him know that she was hardly amused with his teasing.

He growled, and then she inhaled sharply in a startled manner when she was suddenly tipped backwards and pinned upon the bed. The golden-haired Prince followed her down, and without warning, started to move. He surged into her in one smooth stroke, and her breath escaped her in a whoosh at his sudden invasion. Her body trembled under his larger, more powerful one, and she closed her eyes and held onto him for dear life as her lover proceeded to ravish her in earnest. He moved his hands under her and cupped her pert bottom, pressing her as close to him as he could even as he continued to drive home repeatedly between her soft, welcoming thighs.

Haru supported Bel's efforts fully, and her sensual, vocal encouragements were like aphrodisiac to his ears. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and moved with him in concert, squirming under him with growing pleasure with each hard thrust of his hips. He pressed her further into her bedspread with every deep penetration, and Haru openly reveled in the way he easily drove her wild with passion every time he laid his hands on her.

No other words needed to be said between them; she hid her face against the side of his neck and cried his name openly, and he latched his teeth over her slender shoulder as he felt the familiar tingling, tightening sensation that spoke of his own approaching climax. He increased his pace with almost frantic fervor, and the erotic sound of their lovemaking echoed through the small room. She strained hard against him as well, every bit as passionate for him as he desired her.

He was rocking against her in earnest by then, each deep, rapid stroke bringing her nearer and nearer to completion. She whimpered; her body started to quiver with anticipation of what was to come next, her eyes glazing with the splendid, overwhelming sensation of lust, her face flushed as she panted softly from the physical exertion of their carnal activity. She dug her nails into his shoulder and kissed his neck spontaneously, licking and sucking urgently as she felt the sinful pressure in her womb wind tighter and tighter until she could barely tolerate it anymore.

Then, Belphegor spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Look at me." He freed a hand to turn her face to meet his even as he continued to plunder her willing body. There was a fierceness in his tone that quickly caught her attention, distracting her from the single minded lust that possessed her completely. "Tell me again."

It seemed that he could not get enough of hearing the words from her mouth, and she was only too glad to give it to him. Her hand slipped down to his bicep, bracing herself even as her body shuddered from the rapid onset of orgasm.

"I'm yours forever, Belphegor," she told him shakily, her eyes glowing with emotions. "_I love you_."

It quickly became clear that her unexpected confession had startled him greatly. The blonde promptly felt his control slip and could do nothing else to regain it. Groaning huskily, Belphegor wrapped his arm around Haru's waist and clutched her warm, sweet body tightly to himself, and with a few sharp, jerky thrusts, proceeded to empty himself within her.

The thickly pulsing, throbbing sensation of his climax was enough to rush her to experience her own. Haru stiffened and came with a mewling moan. She held her lover tightly as she convulsed all over his stiff shaft, her body furiously milking him of his essence until he had none left to give. The golden-haired Varia Commander buried his face amongst her hair and remained perfectly still as she took her pleasure from him, blatantly satisfied to ride out the remainder of his own orgasm as the firm, tight muscles of her hot sheathe continued to massage him with erotic sensation.

For awhile, only the sound of their harsh, uneven breathing filled the air. It was a few minutes later before either of them spoke.

Not surprisingly, it was Belphegor who did first. The Crown Prince lifted his head to stare at Haru.

"What did you just say?" he asked in a gruff demand now that there was nothing to distract him from her reply.

Haru, who was still flushed from her own release, blushed even redder at his piercing stare. She was still pinned onto the bed by him, and judging by his intent expression, there was no way he would let her wiggle out of this without a proper answer. And so she gathered her courage together before she could falter, and told him again.

"Jeez, are you hard of hearing or something?" she asked with false bravado. "I said I love you."

Then she looked downright embarrassed by her own intimate admission, which completely shattered all her previous bluster.

She waited for him to react, but after quite some time, he never did.

No, her lover just hovered over her and gave her a completely nonplussed expression.

Then he started to scowl rather fiercely.

"You are just saying it in the heat of passion," he accused, though he seemed rather agitated by his own conjecture.

Haru was equally outraged by his flippant rejection of her confession.

"I did not," she snapped back at him, and then to prove it, she placed her hands on both side of his cheeks, and making sure that he was looking right at her, she spoke again, with complete seriousness.

"I love you," she told him firmly, and then she reached up slightly and kissed him on his nose, his scowling mouth, his chin, repeating the three words every time her lips touched his skin. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

He didn't dare to move. There was something unbearably tender in the way she was looking at him, and that caught his attention like nothing else could. However, when she finally pulled back, there was a spark of something mischievous in her honey brown eyes that he quickly noticed.

"Heaven only knows why I love you, but I do," she told him matter-of-factly. She definitely did not look anywhere near as stunned as he was feeling right now, that was for sure. Of course, he wouldn't know that she had come to terms with her own feelings quite some time ago, and therefore she was rather enjoying that dumbstruck look on his face at the moment. It was an expression that Haru decided she would like to see on the usually wily Prince's face more often in the future.

She even gave him a dainty, exasperated shrug. "Oh, for god's sake. Don't look so surprised. I certainly didn't agree to marry you for your charming personality."

Apparently, that jab was enough to rouse him from his temporary stupor. He started to scowl again. "Wait just a fucking minute here," he began irritably, only to pause again when the magnitude of her innocently given confession caught up with him. A disconcerted expression crept onto his face. He was looking astounded again. "You love me?"

Haru could not help herself anymore. She started to smile. Who would have thought that he would be so easily flustered by her confession of love? One would almost think that he had never been confessed to before. Her lips were twitching with amusement, and then he was giving her a suspicious glare.

"Are you laughing at me?" he sounded quite outraged, and she could not hold it in anymore. Haru burst into laughter, clear and unrestrained and so full of joy that he knew intrinsically that she truly meant what she had said. The strange sensation in the pit of his stomach grew, though Belphegor was uncertain whether he liked that foreign feeling.

Then, she dropped a sweet, spontaneous kiss on his mouth.

"No, I'm just happy," she told him, her eyes sparkling with mirth and affection. "And yes, I love you. Just how many times do you want me to say it, Bel?"

He recovered from his stupor then, and his lips flattened, unamused.

"If this is a joke, I believe I will kill you," he growled, digging his fingers unconsciously into her arm.

It was just like him to respond to a confession with threats of deadly force. Haru was hardly afraid, but her playfulness slowly dissipated at the expression on his face.

It was clear that he was not comfortable with the situation at all, though he was trying to brush it off with his usual offensive manner. It wasn't hard for her to remember his less than impressive childhood. Haru quickly stopped smiling, becoming serious once more.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," she told him quietly, and he watched her almost dispassionately for a long moment before he reacted.

He kissed her hard and quick, and before she could even respond to him, he pulled back.

A sharp, unsettling grin formed on his face, one that nearly bordered insane as he chuckled maniacally, holding her with utter possessiveness, not unlike a child with his most precious toy. He could really mood swing like a woman. Haru rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips all the same.

"You can never leave me now, you know that," he told her in an almost conversational manner. "I will never let you go now."

Haru kissed the side of his neck. "I'm in love with you, Bel," she assured him for what seemed like the nth time since her confession. "Perhaps I don't want to go anywhere."

She paused consideringly, and then continued with perfect innocence.

"Of course, you will need to gain my Daddy's approval first, though. I don't need to tell you that you aren't allowed to intimidate or threaten to kill him, hmm?"

Not surprisingly, Belphegor quickly quit grinning at that point.

"Fuck."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

All's well that ends well! Other than for the reunion smut (which I hope was agreeable to you guys, by the way), this chapter is important in that Haru has finally confessed her love to Belphegor. So now he knows, and although he is nowhere near ready to tell her anything equally significant yet, Haru doesn't mind it all that much because she understands her lover's character quite well—hell would freeze over before Belphegor would become sweet and sensitive, so clearly the woman knows what she was signing herself up for.

Besides, Haru didn't say the words because she wanted to hear a similar affirmation from Belphegor. She just wanted to let him know that he was very important to her heart, and it made her happy to say it, that's all. No other ulterior motives!

Last but not least, Belphegor certainly didn't seem unhappy to hear the words from her, that's for sure!

Hoped you guys enjoyed reading!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	35. Chapter 35

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7067

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 04/12/10

**

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**Chapter Thirty Five**

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The next day, the two most important men in Haru's life met for the very first time. Not surprisingly, the encounter started out rather awkwardly.

Miura Hitoshi eyed the golden-haired _gaijin_ with wary speculation as the younger man stepped into the private ward with a confident, languid saunter. There was a subtle air of aristocratic bearing and arrogance in the latter's movements and demeanor, and the undecorated, silver crown that sat amidst his unruly hair caught immediate attention—the blatant indication of his royal status.

His height was average though he was still nearly an entire head taller than Haru, and by default, Hitoshi as well. His complexion was fair, almost pale, and was set off by his burnished blonde hair. His fringe was ridiculously long and completely obscured at least the upper half of his face from public view. What was left of his facial features appeared sharply angular and pointed, and coupled with a faint, distinctly disconcerting smile that sat casually on his thin lips, the Prince Belphegor gave off a rather startling impression of a cunningly calculating _nogitsune_.

That, or its western equivalent—a slyly smirking Cheshire Cat.

Hitoshi noted that the other male wore a dark, semi-formal uniform of some sort, one that consisted of an open blazer jacket with a fur trimmed hood and tight fitting black pants. The jacket was paired with a loose, carelessly untucked red and black striped shirt, and solid boots that went up to mid thigh completed the entire ensemble. All in all, Belphegor looked like he had just rolled out of bed and hadn't even bothered to straighten his attire properly.

At first glance, Hitoshi decided that his prospective son-in-law resembled a ruffian, highborn Prince or not.

He dressed like one and walked like one, and Hitoshi should know, having seen all sorts of wannabe delinquents in his many years of teaching at the university. The Math professor had no idea what was wrong with the young people of this generation, but back in his days, one used to be able to judge the integrity of a person by the look in their eyes and the care they took in their dressing.

That was no longer the case, unfortunately, what with all that outrageous floppy or strangely explosive hairstyles that seemed to be the rage nowadays. How some people could walk around with their hair in their eyes and not run into a wall was beyond his comprehension. Like he had always told his little girl; a person's hair was supposed to neatly frame and compliment the features and expressions of the face, not conceal half of it or attempt to distract the viewer with downright unnatural projections that made one resemble a strange animal/humanoid subspecies. Hitoshi couldn't even tell anymore if his students were trying to be stylish or just did not have enough money to get a proper haircut, and it was the same with the clothes.

The middle aged Math professor didn't understand how looking deliberately rumpled and untidy was supposed to be fashionable, and how almost everyone in his lecture theater was walking around in clothes that were either way too big or much too skimpy—where was the economy in that? Sometimes he would take a look at his students and wonder to himself if he was actually teaching at a prestigious university or really volunteering in a local shelter—nobody around him seemed to be able to afford some proper clothes.

As such, Hitoshi never failed to thank whatever deity that watched over his family, for his dear daughter had never caught on to the strange disease that made so many of the younger generation lose their common sense. No, his Haru had always dressed and worn her clothes and hair properly and sensibly, proudly but modestly displaying the beautiful features that her parents had given her at birth.

As such, the older man could not help but be mildly dismayed by the appearance of the man whom she had fallen in love with. Hitoshi was aware that both his daughter and her Prince worked for the Vongola, belonged to a group of admittedly powerful and influential Mafia Famiglia, but just because one worked for the secret society did not mean that they had to look like thugs in the process, did they? Ryohei-san and Takeshi-san were fine examples of well-mannered, honest looking young men who belonged to the Vongola as well. Why didn't his Haru choose someone like them?

Hitoshi was still busy contemplating the question when his daughter hurried over to his bedside and dropped a familial kiss of greeting on his cheek. "Hello, Daddy. This is Belphegor." She turned to her lover and introduced her father next. "Bel, this is my father, Miura Hitoshi."

For a brief moment, no one spoke, and the two men merely eyed each other from across the room. Then, the younger man responded first.

The faint, nearly imperceptible smile on his face slowly stretched into a small, lazy grin, almost as if he was amused by a private joke that only he was privy to. The vulpine resemblance became markedly more distinct on the blonde's sharp features, much to Hitoshi's growing discomfort and disapproval. It also looked as though the younger man was laughing at him in secret, and that was just incredibly impolite.

The golden-haired Prince tipped his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Miura-san," he greeted at last in impeccable Japanese, his tone cool and leisurely, a bare sliver of amusement weaved into his mildly accented voice.

Hitoshi started to frown slightly at that, and standing beside her father, Haru was looking quite alarmed. She started to shake her head warningly at her lover. Belphegor's casual, eerily disconcerting mannerism were something he had honed to such fine perfection that he often used it as a psychological weapon to rattle and catch his opponents unaware. He was also so used to wearing the outward mask that he was seldom seen without that deceptively laidback, jackal-like behavior, and there were not many who dared to lower their guards around him when he was being so casually intimidating.

Haru had long since grown used to his theatrics and that irritating, cocky behavior that urged people to lose their composure and give in to the mindless urge to attack him instead, which was exactly his intention when he created his persona. However, her father was definitely not used to the annoying, deliberately provocative tendencies of his future son-in-law, and Haru's sense of foreboding was quickly growing.

Hitoshi put on a polite smile on his face and returned the greeting.

"Belphegor-san. I have heard much of you from my daughter." The man was soft spoken and painstakingly courteous, as are most Japanese, but despite that, the steadiness in his gaze and the calmness of his demeanor quickly told Belphegor that he was not intimidated by the younger man whatsoever.

Belphegor's smile widened, showing a hint of teeth.

"Oh?" The blonde wandered further into the room, coming to a stop only at the foot of the hospital bed. "I hope it's nothing too awful for your delicate ears then, my dear, soon-to-be father-in-law."

Considering that Hitoshi had not approved of the marriage yet, the overly familiar address was completely uncalled for and therefore extremely rude. The bedridden Math professor promptly stopped smiling.

Haru just resisted the urge to groan. This was quickly turning from bad to worse. It was quite obvious that Belphegor had sensed her father's disapproval, and in typical Belphegor fashion, had gone out of his way to fully earn the elder's dislike. She had told him to be respectful and refrain from being so contrary prior to this visit, that idiot man, but her words of caution might as well be only songs sang in a foreign tongue to his non discerning ears.

"Haru, my dear," Hitoshi spoke then, turning to his daughter. "Allow me a moment to speak with this young man."

Haru didn't think that would be a good idea, though before she could protest, Belphegor added his two cents' worth.

"Yes, my little sparrow," he agreed silkily. "I happen to concur with your father. A nice, private moment is exactly what I need to get to know my new relative."

Haru scowled and went quickly over to confront her lover, unamused. "Bel, we talked about this just now and last night. You are not allowed to intimidate or hurt my father-"

The blonde caught her by the arm before she could poke him in the chest with her demand that he fulfill their agreement. "Now, why would I want to do something like hurt my own gifu-sama?" he asked her with rhetorical innocence, and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "I will only get one father-in-law out of this deal after all, and I had better take good care of him since I need his approval to get fucking married."

Despite his deceptively mild tone, he was smiling in his usual maniacal manner as he whirled her around quickly and frog marched her towards the door. The brunette promptly protested.

"Bel, this is not a good idea- hey- wait-! Don't you dare traumatize my poor father, you hear me? And if you hurt him, I will make you very sorry! Very sorry, you hear?"

She was sputtering as he subdued her flailing about with one hand and opened the door with the other, and he was in the process of stuffing her through the door when she made the flustered threat. Haru's concern for her parent's wellbeing was a real one; Belphegor would never hurt her deliberately but only she and she alone held the special privilege of being exempt from being on the receiving end of his dangerous moods. There were just so many things that could and would go wrong between her father and her lover, and Haru really had no wish to test the extent of Belphegor's patience—especially when her father's wellbeing was at stake.

The golden-haired Prince in question paused at her feeble warning. He glanced amusedly at her.

"How do you plan to make me sorry?" he asked in a humoring tone. They both knew that there wasn't much she could do to hurt him physically, and Haru flushed furiously at his telling question.

"I will withhold my favors," she muttered at last with no small amount of embarrassment. "I will do it and I will ignore you!"

She sounded rather determined to do exactly that, and he stared at her, his lips twitching at the urge to laugh at the piqued expression on her face. They were a fair distance away from her father by then, and he drew his face close to hers. Haru stood her ground staunchly, and he smirked at her.

"That sounds like a rather amusing game," he purred softly, barely loud enough for her to hear. "It will be interesting to see how long you can stay unaffected, hmm?"

The brunette shot her lover a rather alarmed look, and he added almost casually. "You know, it was my original intention to not harm your Father, but it is beginning to occur to me that you are trying to tempt me into changing my mind."

"That's not what I-" she began hotly, only to break off midway when he pushed her resolutely out the door.

"In that case, you will cooperate," he cut her off. "Go downstairs and wait for Alaisdair. He should be arriving anytime soon."

There was no arguing with him, and Haru admitted defeat. She ran her eyes searchingly over his features once more.

"You promise not agitate my Father?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you caught me. I cannot wait to irritate your Father because it is just so _exciting_ to stand there and trade barbs with a harmless old man because I'm so free and have nothing better to do."

He was so impossibly sarcastic that she could only stare at him before she shook her head slightly at last.

"Just…try not to overdo it," she muttered at last, and his reply was a small chuckle before he shut the door in her face. She did not attempt to reenter the room, and without the distraction that she posed, he promptly returned his attention to her problematic parent.

The deceptive, languid smile on the Prince's lips left his face quickly as he approached the currently infirm man in a measured, deliberate stride. The sardonic, maliciously playful air had completely disappeared from Belphegor's countenance, and in its place was a cold, ruthlessly focused calm that took the elder male by surprise. Those young hooligans in the university were certainly nowhere near this intense, and it was downright startling that this rude, impolite, almost uncouth, foreigner was capable of generating such a forceful aura that all but commanded full attention.

As an experienced lecturer who had taught for more than half of his life, Miura Hitoshi was seldom wrong when it came to reading people. The twenty five years worth or so of teaching experience had ensured that he met all sorts of characters in the span of his illustrious career in higher education, though this time around, the middle aged man was beginning to get the feeling that he might have made a mistake when it came to Prince Belphegor.

For one, the golden-haired man was definitely no mere thug who was all swagger and no bite. No, the professor was quickly forced to reevaluate his opinion as the already considerable pressure of the other's intent continued to rise steadily. Belphegor had hid it well enough beneath his offensive and jokester-like masks earlier, but Hitoshi could now tell there was something very dark and dangerous lurking behind the deceptively handsome features of this young man. Just being in the focus of the latter's attention gave the elder a distinctly uncomfortable sensation, as if there was a prowling predator circling lazily just at the edge of his consciousness, and it was a terribly distracting feeling.

For a few minutes or so, Belphegor made no effort whatsoever to rein in or control the strength of his presence, and if he was trying to make a statement, then he had certainly succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The blonde spared a brief moment or so to observe the older man in complete silence, though before Hitoshi could become completely overwhelmed by the impressive display of willpower, it disappeared abruptly into nothingness, completely cloaked once more by the misleading veneer of the younger male's quasi pleasant expression.

Belphegor came to a stop by Hitoshi's bedside though he refrained from hovering over the older man like an opportunistic vulture just waiting to pounce on its pound of flesh. There was no need to. After all, the Prince had already gotten his point across. On the outside, Miura Hitoshi might look every bit like a typical professor; slightly paunchy and somewhat balding, bespectacled and exuding a scholarly yet distracted air, loved and respected by his students for his fatherly and genially pleasant temperament, but there was no mistaking the razor sharp intelligence in his eyes.

It told Belphegor that Haru's parent was an extremely observant individual, and the blonde was making absolutely sure that the latter saw exactly what the blonde wanted him to see. And Hitoshi was definitely opening his eyes wide to see alright. He was also quickly coming to the conclusion that his prospective son-in-law was a powerful but disturbing individual who might not be completely sane. The younger man was definitely highly intelligent as well, as Hitoshi was only now beginning to comprehend. Belphegor had most certainly created with deliberate consideration his entire persona to mislead and fool the people around him, from his hairstyle to his mannerisms and even to how he wore his clothes.

And Hitoshi himself had been soundly tricked as well.

It was a daunting realization.

"Hitoshi-san," the blonde drawled laconically then, his veiled gaze completely concealing his thoughts. "Are you aware of my position within the Vongola Famiglia?"

There was no longer any of the earlier toying amusement in the Prince's voice; only a cool, clinical façade as the younger male observed him with detached interest.

The Miura patriarch quickly felt as if he was a goldfish in a fishbowl, being carefully watched by a cat. He quickly recalled all the information that his daughter had told him with regards to this young man.

Haru had been rather vague about the whole thing, but she had mentioned in passing that Belphegor was one of the main members of the Famiglia, though he and the organization he was with operated independently from the core Guardians of the clan. From what Hitoshi could glean from his daughter, the golden-haired Prince was also extremely good at his fulfilling his missions.

"Haru told me that you and your organization help the Vongola solve problems," Hitoshi replied at last, his tone cautious but still mostly unafraid. Belphegor had to acknowledge the man's calm demeanor. The elder was a mere civilian but the fact that he was still holding onto his wits and good sense with reasonable composure was proof that this man indeed shared the same blood with his brave and bold soon-to-be wife.

And speaking of soon-to-be wives, it was just like Haru to deliberately downplay the extent of his bloodthirstiness to innocent, unsuspecting individuals. Nowadays, the woman was always determined to salvage whatever was left of his notorious reputation even when he could hardly care less himself, and she was doing it by painting a more _subtle_ different picture of him to the blissfully unaware people who did not know him well enough to doubt her rather skewed impression. Basically, strangers.

It was apparent that she had tried to feed the same load of crap to her own father, though judging by the expression on the man's face, he was definitely having doubts over his daughter's faulty explanations.

Belphegor chuckled.

"Hitoshi-san," he told the older man evenly. "I am an assassin by trade and the organization I belong to is sanctioned by the Vongola Bosses, past and present, to deal with and eliminate those who stand in the way of the Famiglia's goals and ideals. So yes, you can say that my role in the clan is to solve problems for the Vongola. Naturally, I am _very_ good at solving problems."

Belphegor sounded quite amused towards the end, though Hitoshi was looking quite alarmed.

"An assassin?" the Miura patriarch could only sputter. "But Tsuna-san said that- And his Guardians-"

The blonde waved away the elder's disbelief with an airy, elegant gesture.

"The Decimo and his Guardians undertake the flashier jobs, large scale missions that require pure brute force when all else fails, assignments that showcase the sheer power and, on occasion, the chivalry and gallantry of the Vongola Famiglia as a whole. Think of it as a publicity stunt if you will; they play the role of the good guys very well, and the public's image of the Vongola Famiglia is one of goodwill and valor."

Belphegor stared at the infirmed man, a lazy smile on his lips.

"But Hitoshi-san, we are the Vongola _Famiglia_. We are _the_ Mafia. Sawada Tsunayoshi is not Robin Hood and we are most certainly not his band of merry men. As a large organization with literally hundreds of members, the Vongola do not solely exist to operate rescue missions and establish peace and order in our respective territories. That's what the police are for."

"Most of the other members in the Famiglia have better things to do; we have our own sets of objectives to fulfill, and that's why there are several separate factions within the Vongola: the Boss and his Guardians, the CEDEF, and last but not least, Varia, Vongola's Independent Assassination Squad. We Varia deal with the seedier, less glamorous jobs, discreet, secretive assignments that are not glorious and are often carried out in the ugly underbelly of society, but are just as equally crucial to the survival of any Famiglia."

The look on the Math professor's face was one of dawning horror and it wasn't hard to follow the direction of his thoughts to the common activities of what one would imagine gangs to frequently participate in. Drug and prostitution rings, illegal gambling dens and bookmaking, extortion and smuggling, and last but not least, kidnapping and murder.

It was becoming glaringly obvious just where Haru had inherited her over imaginative tendencies from, and a little evilly, Belphegor allowed the elder Miura to hyperventilate for awhile before he finally cleared the misunderstanding.

"We deal mostly with security sensitive missions like espionage and counterintelligence, the occasional infiltration within enemy organizations, as well as assassination."

Hitoshi was starting to look at the younger man in a whole new light. He was also beginning to see the military aspect of the Vongola that not many knew existed. And his daughter was neck deep with them all, working together as part of the large, apparently well connected Famiglia. She was also about to marry this golden-haired foreigner whom Hitoshi now realized was a lot more dangerous than he could ever imagine.

Good god; an assassin. Whatever had his child gotten herself into?

"My daughter has told me that you are considerably high ranking within this Varia organization."

Belphegor gave the middle-aged man an amused stare

"I'm one of the six Commanders of the Varia troops. I also serve as a battle strategist on occasion. As I mentioned earlier, I'm extremely proficient in my trade."

He was also extremely 'modest,' as a somewhat bewildered Hitoshi was beginning to understand. It was hard for the older man to completely swallow what he had been just told, but Hitoshi dared not shrug off the blonde's words as nothing more than mere boasts. For one, Belphegor knew too much about the inner workings of the Vongola to be lying, not to mention Hitoshi did not believe that it was possible for anyone to fake the sort of pressured intent that the golden-haired Prince had very briefly brought to bear upon him.

"Now that we have had our mandatory small talk, I shall cut straight to the chase and get down to the point," Belphegor spoke in a brisk, business-like manner, and Hitoshi wondered if the former's idea of small talk involved intimidating the participants to the point of agreeing to just about anything he proposed. After all, it was only common sense to not deliberately aggravate someone who made a profession out of killing people.

Evidently, Hitoshi had no idea that his precious daughter had been doing the exact opposite from the very moment she met the Storm Unit Commander of the Varia Independent Assassination Squad, and through a long series of unexpected events and strong sexual attraction, had somehow led to this unlikely situation of impending marriage to said male.

The blonde reached into the lapels of his jacket then, his hand slipping into one of the inner pockets of the Varia uniform, and Hitoshi tensed with alarm. He couldn't be pulling out a weapon, could he?

Belphegor tilted his head slightly at the expression on the elder man's face. He paused briefly at the latter's reaction, and then his smile widened imperceptibly, became almost mischievous, slyly so. "Relax, Hitoshi-san. I have no intention to do you any harm," the Varia assassin told Hitoshi with barely veiled amusement. "My bride will be most displeased otherwise."

The younger male took a seat on the chair by the bedside, elegantly crossing his legs at the knees as he resumed his action of unhurriedly pulling something out of his inner pocket. It was a slender, rectangular booklet, and Hitoshi quickly realized what it was when the Prince flipped open the cover deftly, and at the same time, withdrew a custom designed MontBlanc ballpoint pen from his chest pocket. It was a cheque book, and the math professor watched in astonishment as the blonde placed it on the end table and started to quickly fill in the necessary details required to issue a cheque.

"Let's get this done quickly and as hassle-free as possible," the blonde spoke as swiftly as he wrote, not even looking at the Miura patriarch. "You know the reason why I'm here. However, this visit is only a mere formality on my part."

"I have full intention to marry your daughter regardless of your approval or lack thereof in this matter, and since it is apparent that you are not exactly pleased by the news of this match, I will endeavor to sweeten the deal for you. I usually leave such fiscal matters for my steward to handle, but I will make an exception this time. Luckily for us both, I have an extremely high paying job as well as a considerably generous inheritance from my deceased parents, in the form of a small but well to do country."

The stunned professor could only continue to gawk at the golden-haired foreigner. Was he trying to do what Hitoshi thought he was doing?

"Belphegor-san, are you attempting to bribe me into relinquishing my daughter's hand in marriage?" the older man asked at last, his tone disbelieving.

The blonde paused in his writing and cocked his head slightly as he regarded Hitoshi for a brief moment. Then, he chuckled.

"No, Hitoshi-san," he replied with a small, satisfied smirk. After all the trouble Haru had made him go through before she agreed to marry him, he definitely had the right to gloat. "I do not have to bribe you to marry Haru. I already have her hand in marriage. You may treat this as a bonus of sorts, for raising a daughter worthy enough to be my Princess Consort and future Queen. Is the sum of five million Euros a satisfactory figure for a bride price?"

Hitoshi was incredulous. Then he frowned. Normally friendly and fatherly eyes turned steely.

"Belphegor-san, my daughter is not a piece of common livestock to be bartered off to the highest bidder," the Math professor admonished sharply. He was outraged that the Prince seemed to think that lowly of him and his only child, and assassin or not, he refused to tolerate this slight.

The elder Miura was clearly very offended, and it turned out that insulting his family quickly brought out the same fierce temper that Haru would exhibit whenever her lover made her very angry.

Belphegor stared bemusedly at the slowly reddening features of the older man.

"No," the blonde agreed with Hitoshi. "There's definitely nothing common about your daughter, Hitoshi-san, and she most certainly does not look like cattle. Furthermore, I will not offer such a high bride price if I was not completely serious in marrying her."

Belphegor did not sound like he was joking, and for a long while, Hitoshi just stared at the younger man. The older man was not completely sure if his prospective son-in-law was being deliberately blunt or just completely lacked tact to be allowed to interact socially without supervision. After what he could see so far, he was beginning to suspect the latter; Belphegor did not have to work hard at being morally offensive—he was just naturally good at it. With that realization firmly in mind, there was no more righteous fuel to sustain his anger, and the Miura patriarch quickly found his displeasure dissipating quickly. It was not Belphegor's fault for being socially inept. At last, Hitoshi calmed down enough to ask the question that had been plaguing him for awhile.

"Of all the women in the world, why did you choose my daughter?" His tone was one of stern curiosity, and the suddenly indecipherable look in the older man's eyes told Belphegor without words to tread carefully in his reply. The Storm Unit Commander did not answer for quite some time, though when he finally did, his answer was completely incongruent from the image that the older man had formed of him

"Your daughter belongs with me, Hitoshi-san. Only I can complete her, just as only her presence can bring me the only kind of peace that does not stifle me. It is a fair exchange. She promised herself to me twenty years ago, and I fully intend to collect, with or without your approval."

In that rare moment, Belphegor was calm and perfectly sober. He sat beside the infirmed Miura with the artless grace of highborn nobility, but what could be seen of his facial features was set in blank composure.

Hitoshi was startled. "_Twenty years ago_?" the normally quiet spoken man demanded in utter surprise. They must have only been little more than toddlers then! How on earth could they have even met?

Belphegor shrugged; he had no intention of telling the other man the full story, and that he might just be _slightly_ embellishing the facts. What Hitoshi did not know would not kill him, after all, and might just make his task of convincing the father-in-law much easier for him. The blonde had no idea that he would also have to get Haru's immediate blood family to agree to the match when he proposed marriage, and it was a fortunate thing that Haru was an only child with a single parent. Belphegor did not believe that he possessed enough patience for more of this 'family bonding exercise' otherwise.

Most individuals in this exact situation would have reacted with joy and clambered all over themselves to welcome him into their family with arms thrown wide open; he was extremely eligible, after all, what with his royal status and ridiculously wealthy background. It just figured that he would find himself dealing with the one household who did not seemed at all impressed with his status, money, and dashing good looks.

With a sudden flash of inspiration, Belphegor promptly decided to remind Hitoshi of his luck in netting such a fine son-in-law. The Storm Varia conveniently forgot about that near disastrous attempt of convincing Haru that he was a fine catch before demanding that she marry him. After all, the Miura patriarch should be much more practical and rational than his daughter, a Math professor and all. In hindsight, Belphegor should have remembered that parent and child were cut from the same bolt of cloth.

"I do not understand your reticence, Hitoshi-san. There is nothing but benefits for you and your daughter in this match; wealth and prestige aside, the blood of your family will flow in the veins of my descendents. Your grandchildren will be princes and princesses, and the name of your family will be forever immortalized in the royal archives. Your station in life will be upgraded to a level most can only dream of."

Hitoshi stared at the blonde for a brief moment. Then he shook his head.

"That may be so, but Haru and I have been perfectly ordinary, average citizens for all of our lives and we are perfectly content with our lot. We are able to live comfortably within our means and have no need for more wealth. What concerns me more, Belphegor-san, is my daughter's happiness. Marriage is a constitution, and I cannot help but feel that you two are rushing headlong into it without due consideration of the matter at hand. I do not need to tell you that marrying in haste can only lead to repenting in leisure, and due to your royal status, it will be difficult to undo this union should either of you change your mind in the future."

It was obvious that the Miura patriarch had given this situation much thought, certainly more so than Belphegor had expected the elder to. The blonde's indulging patience quickly evaporated at the former's blunt observations.

"She is _not_ leaving me," he growled out sharply, losing his composure for the first time since this visit. It aggravated him greatly that her father was already trying to think of a legitimate way to separate him from her when they weren't even married yet. "I don't care if you are her father; I will not stand by and let you take her away from me. _She will not and cannot leave me_."

The blatant—and fierce—possessiveness rushed out from the Prince in full force and fury, leaving the middle aged professor slightly taken aback. The younger man had only ever indicated amusement and an annoyingly relaxed attitude when it came to the rather serious subject of this marriage, and Hitoshi had mistakenly assumed that this farce of a proposal was only something of a whim of a spoilt and rich aristocrat looking for a temporary plaything. He was convinced that this would undoubtedly cause his daughter no small amount of heartbreak should it go south, and although he had promised to support his child in whatever decision she made, he was rather determined to at least throw on all the brakes in effort to slow down the rushed pace of the impending nuptials from hell.

Therefore, Hitoshi was stunned by the instant ferocity that arose from the deceptively languid blonde at the slightest threat towards his claim on Haru. This new turn of events would bear some reconsideration, but his mind was so used to quickly solving complex mathematic equations that it was no huge feat for him to swiftly recalculate the different probabilities that resulted in the Varia assassin's reaction.

"You think you can make my daughter happy?" Hitoshi pressed sternly.

Belphegor sneered slightly, quickly disliking the position that he had been maneuvered into. Things would be so much easier if he could just pull out his blades and start threatening to cut off a few limbs. As it was right now, he was as helpless as if he had his hands tied behind him.

"She loves me." His sharp declaration of that fact helped to calm the agitated wildness in him somewhat. The knowledge that his little sparrow was in love with him had pleased him very much, thrilled him to the bone, even. The golden-haired royal decided that he would never tire of that simple, glorious fact, and he took great satisfaction in telling it to her father. "She has told me so herself. Her place is by my side. There will be no divorce in this marriage."

He sounded like he meant it, too, and was certainly forceful enough to make sure things happened as he wanted them to. Hitoshi watched the quietly simmering blonde for a short moment, and then he asked the one last question in his mind.

"Do you love my daughter then, Belphegor-san?"

The blonde promptly scowled. He should have known that Hitoshi would ask this, just like his daughter had. Belphegor greatly suspected that he would be subjected to rather lukewarm, almost cold, treatment again if he answered this question wrongly, and to add to the dilemma, he simply refused to lie.

His lips turned down in sharp displeasure. Fuck.

"I do not understand this concept of 'love,'" he replied tersely at last, his tone cool and measured. "But she does, and it gratifies me immensely to know that I have sole ownership of her affections. I do not know love, Hitoshi-san, but I understand possession very well. Your daughter belongs to me in every way a woman can belong to a man, and now that I have found her, I will never let her go."

It was no grand, passionate declaration of love. Hitoshi was also quite certain that the Varia assassin had just all but implied that he had been intimate with his daughter, though if that was so, at least the latter was intent on taking full responsibility for it. The Miura patriarch stared at the golden-haired royal for a good, long while in austere silence, his features composed but not exactly forthcoming.

It seemed that against his better judgment, Hitoshi would have this man as a son-in-law whether he wanted it or not, this arrogant but powerful Prince who had boldly strode into his ward and _demanded_ his daughter's hand in marriage. He was definitely one of the more deliberately rude and abrasive individuals whom he had ever met, and Hitoshi still wasn't quite sure what to make of the hint of dark, barely veiled propensity for violence and mayhem that he had perceived partially hidden within the younger man.

Still, Hitoshi had to grudgingly admit that Belphegor had guts, to come before him in such a manner, and the blonde certainly seemed to be extremely attached to his daughter, to the point of openly threatening her own father if he ever tried to come between them. That told the Miura patriarch that Belphegor did care for Haru in his own way, and for his daughter who happened to be deeply in love with this man, it was good news.

Belphegor was quick enough to perceive that the older man was beginning to cave, and never one to quietly savor his victory, he started to smirk, much to Hitoshi's disapproving chagrin. The blonde could definitely stand to learn some humility.

"If you can ensure my daughter's happiness, then I have no objections in this marriage. But if you hurt her in any way…"

Belphegor highly doubted that Hitoshi could do anything much to him in the unlikely event that he treated Haru badly enough to warrant retaliation from her father and Famiglia. Wordlessly, the Storm Varia picked up his pen and signed his name boldly on the half written cheque that he had been in the midst of issuing to the Miura patriarch. Then, he tore the piece of paper from the booklet and handed it to the professor, who took it on automatic reflex. Hitoshi frowned down at the piece of monetary token, only for his eyes to widen with surprise when he realized that it was a blank cheque. He looked quickly to the younger man.

"This is…!"

Belphegor stood up. He glanced at the stumped features of future father-in-law and shrugged slightly.

"You may keep this as insurance, if you will, against the slim likelihood that I do your daughter any grave injustice. I will also have my retainer approach you to draw up a satisfactory marriage settlement, after all. I have been told that I lack the tact and subtlety required to accomplish these matters peacefully."

Belatedly, Hitoshi decided that he just might get along well with the abovementioned retainer if he or she was the one to make that rather astute observation.

"If that is all, I will go and collect Haru-"

"Wait." The Miura patriarch stopped the blonde before he could stroll out of the room. "One last question, Belphegor, to ease the worries of this old man." Hitoshi dropped the suffix in acknowledgement that the Varia assassin would indeed become his son-in-law. "If Haru is in mortal danger, will you give your life to save her?"

Belphegor's lips curled into a small smirk. "She will be mine to care for once we are married. I will save her when she cannot save herself," he agreed. "However, I'm not easy to kill, so I doubt matters will ever get to the point of my life and death."

The lean, wiry male started to walk towards the door, the topic completely addressed as far as he was concerned. But Hitoshi was not yet placated.

"But what happens if the two of you are placed in a life and death situation with no way out?" the elder Miura pressed. "What happens if you are placed in a situation where you have to die for my daughter? What will you do?"

If it was Sawada Tsunayoshi who was being asked this question, the Decimo of the Vongola would have answered without pause that he would protect Haru no matter the consequences.

But it wasn't the chivalrous knight whom Haru had fallen in love with. It was the mad jester prince.

Belphegor came to a pause at the door's edge, obviously contemplating the question. Hitoshi waited with baited breath for his answer. Then, at last, the younger man turned back to him and spoke slowly, deliberately.

"What I will do if I cannot keep my own life and save hers in the process? What will I choose; is that what you are asking?"

"Yes." Hitoshi nodded slowly, eying the golden-haired Varia. The latter was expressionless as he gave his question some thought, and then he looked at the Miura patriarch through the long veil of his fringe and gave the elder his perfectly honest answer.

"If it came to the point whereby even I am unable to preserve my own life and have to choose; don't worry, Hitoshi-san," the Storm Unit Commander assured the professor with complete calm and surety. Hitoshi's body started to relax instinctively before even hearing the rest of Belphegor's reply; he was so certain that this seemingly psychotic blonde would choose to do the right thing and protect his daughter above everything else—

"I will kill her myself first."

There was no bloodlust or the excitement of an impending kill in his perfectly level, matter-of-fact tone, but at the same time, there was no sorrow or regret to be detected in those merciless words.

Hitoshi's mouth promptly hung open, and all the color fled from his face. _He was serious._

"In every battle, to the victor goes the spoils. Should I fall, she will not be spared either, with or without my sacrifice. Her place is by my side. _There will be no her without me, and vice versa_."

For one brief moment in time, there was perfect silence. An eerie quiet slithered up the spine of the horrified father, the grain of truth in the golden-haired Prince's words ringing in his head. Then, the silence was promptly shattered with a small, amused chuckle from the same man. Hitoshi stared at the royal, but that earlier pale, doll-like plasticity of his expression when he had made his terrifying declaration was no more, replaced by silky mirth and the somewhat sly vulpine expression that slid over his features like a well used mask.

Belphegor shrugged airily at the frozen form of his father-in-law, the latter who was beginning to wonder if he had just made a huge mistake in agreeing to marry his only child to this clearly insane man.

"But don't worry, really, Hitoshi-san. I have no plans to die just yet. I have every intention of living a long, healthy life."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And that is the end of the long anticipated 'meet-the-parent' installment! Hope you guys approve, and the reason I dedicated an entire chapter to the encounter is because Hitoshi has never met Belphegor before. As such, he has some questions for Belphegor and also needs more time to assure himself that the younger man is indeed worthy enough to marry his beloved only child beyond the typical abbreviated 'What? You want to marry my daughter? Sure, good riddance! But wait, for foisting my daughter off on you, you will also be giving me a monthly retire package right?'

…Kidding, of course!

But poor Hitoshi though; Belphegor is definitely nothing like he had imagined his future son-in-law to be and to top it off, the younger man really scares the hell out of him!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

As for Belphegor's…eerie reply in response to Hitoshi's last question, well, it is a stark reminder that Belphegor is still his same viciously bloodthirsty self, soon-to-be-married man or not. In his defense, his answer is not exactly wrong, just not the normally accepted and reassuring one that most people would appreciate hearing. After all, if there was an enemy powerful enough to force his mortal demise, then it also stood to reason that Haru would stand no chance against such a foe, and by extension of her connection to him, would not be spared either with or without his sacrifice.

Remember; the Belphegor in this fic has had multitudes of assassins gunning for his life since at a very young age, and as a result of his dangerous upbringing, is very practically acquainted with the consequences of such situations, and therefore he is unlikely to paint pretty pictures and wax romantically optimistic lyrical of bravery and self-sacrifices like what Hitoshi had expected to hear. Instead, he just flat out tells the truth, the brutal reality of what the scenario that Hitoshi had described would most likely end in according to his own experiences and expectations.

Of course, it's an extra perk that he got to terrorize his new relative in the process, and not even having to wave around any of his specialized scalpels and/or threaten physical harm to the latter to do it too!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	36. Chapter 36

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7338

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 19/12/10

**

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**

**Chapter Thirty Six**

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The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch.

The somewhat bemused minister had performed the ritual in a hospital ward—a rather unusual venue for marriage if there was one, but he had been asked to join couples in holy matrimony in much stranger places, so he did not ask too many questions.

The groom wore a battle uniform to his own wedding and the bride's posy looked suspiciously like something hastily procured from the hospital florist, but even though there was little fanfare over the whole thing like there usually was, both appeared quite keen on the marriage. There were only two others on hand to witness this union; a temporarily infirmed middle aged man who was the bride's father, as well as a younger man—an aristocratic and wealthy looking foreigner who doubled as a ring bearer for the couple.

The ceremony was a quick one. The groom had little patience for anything longer and the bride was kept too busy assuring her worried father that she was indeed prepared to be married to her psychotic lover to notice when said male demanded the more abbreviated version to be performed, as opposed to the usually longwinded one.

And so the vows were quickly exchanged and the necessary documents signed, though the glowing bride had faltered briefly when her new husband had slipped her wedding ring, an antique monstrosity passed down from his family that was as ugly as it was priceless, onto her left ring finger. Then he had proceeded to reel her in for a deep, lusty kiss that was so carnally passionate that both the minister and bride's father had been scandalized, though his ring bearer cousin had only smirked faintly with approval. After all, if Belphegor continued to be so enthusiastic towards his marital duties, then it wouldn't be long before they had the next heir in line to the throne.

When the Varia assassin did not look inclined to stop kissing his new wife anytime soon and Haru had appeared quite content to remain in his lecherous clutches, the thoroughly amused Archduke took over the duty of ushering the minister out of the room, providing a generous payment to the man for his prompt and professional services. By the time Alaisdair returned to the room, though, his cousin had managed to quit molesting his blushing bride in full view of his mortified father-in-law, though the smug expression on his face told everyone in the room how pleased he was with his choice of wife.

Alaisdair went up to the royal couple and bowed respectfully towards his King and his Princess Consort.

"Your Highnesses, allow me to be the first to offer my heartfelt congratulations," he murmured graciously. "May this marriage be a lasting and fruitful union that will bring prosperity to the Kingdom of Astonia and the Royal Family of Tsiveone."

The official greeting done, the Archduke straightened and looked at his new cousin-in-law.

"Thank you for marrying Belphegor, Haru. You have the undying gratitude of the entire Royal House for your magnanimous sacrifice. We will remember this selfless deed that your family has done for us for generations to come. Know that all of us will rally behind you in full support should you ever need it against your unruly husband."

Haru would have laughed softly if not for the fact that the dark-haired aristocrat sounded perfectly serious. Belphegor just scowled at his retainer/relative, but even his glare did not carry much heat. The blonde was in too good a mood to rise to his cousin's good natured ribbing this time, and then Haru excused them to tug him to her father.

"Dad," she greeted softly, and it was not hard for Hitoshi to hear the genuine happiness in his daughter's voice. It was written all over her face as well, the way she all but glowed as she glanced at her significant other—the same significant other who happened to scare the hell out of him, but it seemed that his only child was made out of much sterner stuff than he was, and was hardly intimidated by the assassin's strange ways.

Haru had to nudge Belphegor before he tipped his head slightly and greeted his new father-in-law. "Gifu-san," the blonde addressed the older man in a tone that could _almost_ pass as respectful. He didn't smirk like he usually did nor was he being deliberately insolent in a way that only he could pull off. Both daughter and father stared at him briefly, evidently surprised by his restraint.

However, it became quickly evident that his 'pleasant' quota was all filled up for the day with that single polite word, for he chose not to say anything else after that, leaving Haru to deal with her parent while he stood around like a decorative ornament, much to her exasperation. She shot him a mildly dirty look which he responded to with a relaxed, lazy grin, and Hitoshi decided with an inward sense of awe that the wiry blonde certainly didn't look mentally unstable or anywhere near as dangerous as he actually was. In fact, he reminded the Math professor of a well fed, languidly satisfied cat right at that moment, and gave off the rather strong impression that he would have quite happily wrapped himself around his new wife just like a feline if he could.

It was simply amazing to the Miura patriarch that the mere presence of his daughter could bring about such a drastic change in the younger man's edgy temperament. Belphegor had felt like an uncontrollable force of nature, a wildcard, when they were having their little talk earlier. But now, in the immediate vicinity of Haru, the wild, barely leashed promise of violence in him seemed to have subsided greatly. Hitoshi would not go so far as to claim that his daughter had tamed the Varia assassin, but he could see now that she possessed an uncanny ability to soothe her husband's agitated temper and calm the crazed, sadistic beast lurking deep within his psyche.

With a flash of insight, Hitoshi realized that it was no wonder Belphegor was so intent on marrying and claiming his daughter. Looking at the couple standing before him, the old man decided that despite the lack of formal clothing and the grandiose environment of most weddings, his daughter and new son-in-law looked just like any other pair of newlyweds, which was quite a feat in itself since Belphegor was hardly the type to pull off the blissfully married look.

At least, the murderous aura around the younger man had been drastically reduced, and although Hitoshi was still feeling somewhat uneasy in the younger man's presence (he doubted that he would ever feel at ease around the blonde), there was no mistaking that his daughter looked perfectly content around her assassin husband. Hitoshi would even admit that they were a beautiful couple (if Belphegor would ever trim that ridiculously long fringe of his, that was).

Well, the grandchildren would be adorable at least, Hitoshi consoled himself.

Haru bent down and gave her father a tight embrace.

"Thank you for giving us your blessings, Daddy," she told him with heartfelt sincerity when she pulled back to give him an affectionate glance. Her father merely lifted his hand and gently brushed his fingers across the bangs that framed her eyes before he petted her head just like he had always done.

"You have always been my precious little princess, even if you are all grown up and are now someone else's wife. Your Mother would be so proud," Hitoshi mused fondly. "I still remember when you were just a toddler happily gumming away on your own booties. Where has all the time gone?"

Belphegor started to smirk at the mental image the elder's reminiscing remarks had wrought. It would be good blackmail material if he could convince the old man to part with some rather incriminating childhood photos of his wife, judging by the look of rising embarrassment on her face.

"Dad!" Haru yelped, further chagrinned by the renewed interest that Belphegor was showing in the direction of the conversation. "I don't want to talk about that right now. I just-" She looked momentarily teary, much to her father's alarm, though before Hitoshi could try to calm her down, she reached down and hugged him tightly again, her unexpected strength almost enough to cut off his entire air supply.

Hitoshi's eyes bugged out rather comically, but of course his daughter failed to notice his discomfort.

"I just want to thank you for everything that you have done for me," she burst out in a rush, her shoulders trembling with the force of her emotions. "You are the best father anyone could have asked for, Daddy, I don't want you to ever forget that."

Hitoshi patted his daughter's back tenderly, and then he exchanged a look with Belphegor. The blonde was standing unobtrusively by the side, simply observing with no intention whatsoever of stepping in to calm down his overwrought bride.

"Silly child," the middle aged professor murmured, his gaze softening. "You have been the light of my life for so long, how can I ever forget? I will always be your Father, just like you are always my daughter. Go; live your life the way you see fit, Haru. Otou-san loves you, and whatever you do, just remember to do with your heart and be happy."

The Father was beginning to look a bit teary himself, and the scene was so disgustingly touching that Belphegor easily felt goosebumps crawling up his arms. Those Japanese were definitely full of emotional outbursts, his own wife included. He dearly hoped that it wasn't contagious. He waited until parent and child had composed themselves reasonably before stepping in to tug Haru back to his side.

"We will be leaving soon," the Storm Varia spoke up then. "If there is nothing else to be said, we will head for the airfield now."

It was evident that Haru had not been informed of that part of the plan. She stared at Belphegor in surprise.

"Why? I thought that we could stay here for awhile after the ceremony."

Belphegor shook his head.

"Alaisdair will go back to Astonia to present the documents of the wedding to the Royal Council later. While they have not approved of the marriage, we will simply remain out of contact until they do. That means not being found and therefore not allowing them to have any grounds to dissolve this marriage. I'm not in the mood to listen to them gripe about this subject."

Alaisdair made his way over then.

"You are never in any mood to listen to the advisors," the Archduke commented dryly, having overheard the latter part of his cousin's mutterings. The aristocrat nodded respectfully to Hitoshi as he came to a stop before the small group.

"Grounds to dissolve the marriage?" Haru echoed, her brow furrowing. "Like what?"

"Annulment, for one. As well as any ridiculous little loophole that they can exploit to their advantage." Belphegor smirked at his bride. "But don't worry; by the time they get hold of us, this marriage will be so thoroughly consummated that there will be no way of reversing it."

Haru blushed at his blatant meaning but did not protest his intention.

"What about Dad?" she asked instead. "Will he be safe from all these people?"

Belphegor promptly waved the responsibilities over to his steward.

"Alaisdair will see to the security details of your father." Haru nudged him with her elbow at his mistake, and he rolled his eyes before he amended. "Sorry, I mean _our_ father."

The Archduke appeared slightly exasperated by how his list of duties was getting longer by the minute, but he did not complain. The dark-haired aristocrat nodded in agreement. "Mr. Miura will be in good hands, Your Highness. He is the father of our Princess Consort now, and I will do my best to keep him safe. Besides, he will be in no immediate danger as long as you are not in the vicinity to bring attention to his existence, Princess."

Haru was quite disconcerted to be addressed thusly, but now was not the time to think of something as trivial as her title. Despite not having attended any formal ceremony declaring her sudden elevation in social status, Alaisdair had told her that the paperwork of her marriage to Belphegor would be enough to prove her newly instated position as the Crown Prince's Princess Consort.

The brunette turned to her father instead. "Dad, do you think you will be okay here?" she asked, anxious.

Hitoshi nodded. "I believe so, my girl," the elder Miura paused, and then continued. "You should leave with your husband with due haste. He has a good point."

Belphegor smiled lazily at that.

"Of course I do, Gifu-san," the blonde agreed not so humbly. "We will leave right now."

Haru was reluctant to go, but she gave her goodbyes to her father all the same, set more at ease by the sight of Alaisdair who had parked himself by the older man's bedside. After promising to reestablish contact the very moment she could, the newlywed couple proceeded to leave Namimori.

Nearly two hours later, they were on Belphegor's private jet, rapidly gaining altitude as they left her home country. Haru had been uncharacteristically quiet and gazed solemnly through the aircraft's window at the skylights of Japan until they were at last obscured by the clouds.

Then she had fidgeted around and started to play with the god awful looking ring that Belphegor had slipped onto her finger as a symbol of their marriage, and started to scowl at the ridiculous hunk of diamond surrounded by equally exaggerated sizes of various precious gems. The ring was clearly a one of a kind, priceless, antique alright, but it felt unbearably heavy on her finger and Haru did not quite like the mildly malicious vibe that seemed to be exuding from the jewelry itself. It was most probably her overactive imagination at work, but she had already formed her opinion and her instincts were telling her to have as little to do with the ring as possible.

That, or it was just so ugly that Haru really didn't want to wear it.

The brunette was beginning to slide the piece of jewelry off her finger (it must have been altered beforehand for it had fit her perfectly) when Belphegor abruptly placed his hand over hers.

"What are you doing?" he asked sharply. He had been observing her distracted actions for awhile now and had only reacted when she looked like she was about to remove her wedding band, the one that he had put on her just mere hours ago.

Haru looked at him. "I can't wear this," she protested, and her husband's mood promptly turned thunderous.

"Are you telling me that you are having second thoughts now?" he growled, unamused. His fingers tightened over hers.

She gave him a surprised look, and then she shook her head.

"No," she answered so promptly that he quickly had no doubt regarding the authenticity of her reply. "I just don't want to wear this; it's too conspicuous for me."

She tried to shake his hand off but he was not having any of it.

"It's supposed to be conspicuous," he informed her shortly, lifting her hand and turning it slightly just so that the gems sitting on her ring finger gleamed under the light. "This will be the symbol of your status now, as well as a reminder of your commitment to me."

"This is ridiculous," she muttered. "I might as well be wearing a sign asking to be robbed. Can't I wear a smaller symbol? One that won't blind me with so much brilliance whenever I so much as look down at my own hand?"

He chuckled evilly at her disgruntled mumblings, finally comprehending the reason behind her displeasure.

"No." He took great relish in answering her. "You will wear that ring so everyone will know that you are already taken."

He was as possessive as usual, and she frowned at him.

"I don't see you wearing anything to proclaim your married status," she pointed out, irritated.

He had the gall to grin at her.

"There is no need to. When I ascend the throne, it will be the ultimate indication of my marital status. The signet ring that comes with the position will also serve as a wedding ring."

Haru was not satisfied with his answer, especially since she was aware that he was doing his darned best to shirk his duties to his country. God only knew just when he would ever become King.

"But until then?" she pressed.

He shrugged casually at her.

"Until then, nothing."

Haru scowled at him, and he quickly quit that infernal grinning when she snatched her hand from him and promptly removed the antique ring in one swift action. She stuck her nose up at him.

"In that case, I'm not going to wear a ring as well, and especially not one as ugly as that one."

She shoved the ring back at him but he grabbed it and tried to jam it back down her finger instead. Haru pulled her hand back quickly only for him to growl and drag her forcibly over to his seat. She squirmed and complained.

"Belphegor, stop that! You are getting me all tangled up in my seat belt!"

He reached over and released the clasp of the safety belt before hauling her bodily over to him then. Haru yelped.

"Bel-!"

"What do you mean by ugly?" he muttered, insulted. "That's the family heirloom for all the wives of the Kings; you should be honored to wear it."

She smacked him in the chest in a demand to be let go. He grunted and only held her even more tightly.

"It's too ungainly! It's not practical to wear that every day! That's why I demand something smaller!"

"No," he told her bluntly. "You deserve nothing less than this. It's either the ring or a tiara. You choose."

Haru went momentarily blank at the thought of wearing a tiara. That's right; she was a Princess now as well as a married woman, though she certainly hadn't felt any different at all. She certainly did not feel more royal or aristocratic, nor did she suddenly have any urges to act like a housewife and start being more domestic. Perhaps it just hadn't sunk in yet, but the mental image of having to wear a matching crown with Belphegor every day was just so ridiculous that Haru quickly shook her head.

"Just…_no_. No way," she rejected firmly at last. "That's just going to look silly."

He stiffened with outrage.

"What do you mean by that?" the blonde snapped. "I wear a crown as well and I do not look silly!"

"…"

His bride's lack of reply was _not_ reassuring.

"How about I wear the ring around my neck instead?" she suggested then, tactfully evading the subject. Her vain husband was not about to let the matter rest that easily, though.

"Don't change the topic. We were talking about my crown and how I look wearing it-"

Honestly, Haru did not understand how anyone could be afraid of Belphegor when he was being like this. She took the ring back (somewhat reluctantly) from him and with a small grimace, slipped the glaring eyesore back onto her finger—for now.

"Well, I was thinking about getting a nice chain to wear it on," she interrupted him before he could get too deep into his ruffled mutterings. Since she was already conveniently sitting on his lap, she wiggled her bottom slightly to get his attention. Next, she unbuttoned the first few buttons of her shirt to reveal the top of her lace bra, and then slid her index finger slowly down her chest to rest between the smooth, milky valley between her breasts. "One long enough for the ring to rest here, right beside my heart."

She definitely had his full attention by then, and he promptly forgot about everything else.

Her voice was slightly husky and she sounded somewhat shy towards the end, and his body reacted instinctively to the rather pleasing picture she made right there and then. It never failed to surprise him just how innocently she behaved no matter how many times they had had sex before, and as usual, the way she looked at him with such gentle eyes made something within him clench with pleasure and satisfaction.

She was his now. His lover. His wife. His Consort.

_His mate. _

Without a word, he ducked his head and slowly licked at the sweet smelling skin between her breasts, pushed together enticingly by the confines of her bra. She shivered but did not push him away. If anything, she curled her arm around his neck to hold him closer, obviously giving him permission to continue what he wanted to do with her. His hand was cold as it slipped under the hem of her skirt, and that made her tense slightly with surprise. She sighed softly, though, when his fingers lazily caressed the insides of her thighs. Haru wriggled around and straddled her husband, her head bent slightly over his as he kissed the spot between her breasts where she had wanted his ring to be at, sucking and nipping until he had made his mark on her.

She stroked his hair with gentle fingers and kissed the golden strands tenderly. He purred with languid pleasure at her soothing action and nuzzled his nose against her chest. His fingers brushed against the lace material of her panties, the tips of those long, narrow digits sliding sinfully against the moistening fabric as he rubbed and played with the sensitive flesh between her thighs. Haru quivered, a soft whimper escaping her lips at his knowing touch, not to mention she could feel his growing erection through his pants, prodding insistently against her bottom.

She squirmed instinctively, trying to align them together better only for him to growl and hold her still. He continued to touch her intimately, pushing her panties aside to get at the flowering treasure hidden underneath, gliding his fingers against the sleek, slippery flesh of her womanly secrets, dipping into the sweet wetness of her eager body. He knew exactly what to do to make her knees go weak for him and wasn't at all shy about eliciting that addictive response from her as often as he could.

Haru moaned his name shakily and clenched her fingers helplessly in his collar. The heat from his lean, hard body felt unbelievably good to her and she was simply addicted to him. For a supposedly coldblooded assassin, he burned with warmth and vitality in her arms and she never wanted to let him go. His mouth trailed a wet path from her chest to her neck and she tilted her head to grant him access, her body trembling from the pleasure of his touch. He made her want him so badly with such ease, though her only consolation was that he seemed to be equally affected by her.

He pulled his fingers out of her snug, slick sheathe then and swiftly unbuttoned his pants, freeing himself and impatient to ease his erection into her welcoming body. She was already very damp and more than ready to receive him, and even though it was hardly appropriate to make love to his bride in such a setting, he could hardly care less. It wasn't as if she minded very much either, and he was about to push into her when the intercom abruptly came on.

"Good afternoon, Your Highnesses. Please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts. We shall be landing shortly."

The sudden intrusion was like a splash of icy water to Haru's fevered senses and she instinctively jerked back in surprise, startled. Her new husband was not as easily sidetracked, however, and he held her tight to him, intent to continue where they had left off. Haru squirmed aside before he could slide into her, and he cursed when he realized that she was no longer interested in lovemaking.

Sure enough, she tried to push away from him, obviously distracted. "Belphegor, stop that! Something is wrong!" Her face was still flushed with arousal but her eyes were alert and wary.

He grumbled under his breath. "Something is very wrong alright. I just got married and I'm still not getting laid, that's what's wrong."

Haru scowled at him and righted her clothes hurriedly. "Bel, I'm being serious. We shouldn't be landing so soon, should we? We have only just taken off!"

She moved off him and back to her seat, hurriedly buttoning her shirt back up and peering out of the window in vain hopes of trying to identify any sort of landform. Unfortunately, they were still too high up in the stratosphere to see anything but clouds.

Belphegor tucked himself back into his pants, his erection still turgid and raring to go. He also appeared understandably irritated.

"We are landing on a private airstrip because we are switching to a chartered plane. We will be easier to track if we are travelling on my private jet. And we will not be returning to Italy for now."

Judging by his annoyed tone, he was definitely still miffed. Haru ignored his little temper tantrum and furrowed her brow instead.

"Not going back…? Then where are we going?" she asked, perplexed.

He shot her a brief, calculating look. Then he shrugged. "You will see when we get there."

That usually meant he wasn't going to tell her anything else no matter how she tried to pry it out of him, and she had learned from experience that the more she looked like she wanted to know, the more he would deliberately keep it from her just for the hell of it. Haru huffed.

"Can you _please_ tell me these things in advance before you go ahead and do them? Geez, you are not alone anymore; you can't do things as you please without discussing some of them with me at least!" Haru busied herself with untangling the seat buckles as she continued to chide him. "Really; dragging me yonder and forth like a toy rag doll-"

He let her mutter to herself for awhile before he interrupted. Haru went quiet with surprise when he reached over and grabbed her hand. She watched, startled, as he held her hand and started to play with her wedding ring. A small, pleased smile spread over his sharp features as he appeared momentarily content to just to fiddle around with the antique heirloom, though he did stop eventually.

"You are right; I'm not alone anymore, am I?" he asked quietly, and even though she was not certain of what he was thinking, she nodded wordlessly. His smile widened.

"Good." He didn't offer any explanation for his strangely docile behavior, and she gave him an odd look. Before she could comment on it further though, he continued, suddenly in a pleasant, agreeable mood again. "I will get you a new ring and a chain to go with it. But you will still have to wear this one," He touched his priceless family heirloom that currently rested on her finger, "on special occasions."

He was being uncharacteristically _nice_, and she stared at him with slight confusion.

"Why are you being so accommodating all of a sudden?" she blurted out then. He was usually not that thoughtful even on his best days, so the whole thing just seemed rather suspicious to Haru.

That innocent smile he gave her did not help to soothe her concerns whatsoever. She could almost see the fox tail twitching behind him in mischief. He propped his chin on his hand idly but still did not release hers with his other one. "Well," he drawled. "It does not sit well with me to have the ring of the past kings resting between your breasts. Besides, I'm in the mood to indulge my bride today, so quit asking so many questions and just be grateful."

Sure enough, her hackles rose quickly at his condescending tone.

"Wha- You- Be grateful- Belphegor!" She sounded like she had no idea where to start scolding him, and her look of pique amused him so much that he started to laugh. She was most definitely the only woman in this world who would dare to reprimand him, and it was no wonder that he had married the shrewish little baggage in the end. After all, if she tended to yell and nag at him like a fishwife, then she might as well properly fill the position.

For some reason, that thought filled him with much humor, and his chuckles did not abate. Poor Haru started to turn bright red and she promptly smacked him on the arm. "Quit laughing at me, you deviant crackpot!" she spluttered. "And how dare you tell your wife to be grateful! You should be grateful that I married you!"

The fact that his laughter had only gotten louder was an answer in itself. Haru huffed and pouted slightly, but he tugged her upper body to him and kissed her full on the mouth. She could not maintain her irritated temperament for long though, especially when she could taste the genuine amusement on his lips. She quickly went pliant in his arms and kissed him back willingly enough, her hand coming up to rest against his cheek even as she licked and nibbled at his lips in sensual play. He reciprocated her enthusiasm with equal fervor, all but threatening to swallow her whole with the magnitude of his desire for her. By the time he reluctantly pulled back, she was dazed, her rosy mouth kiss swollen and a most irresistible, misty look of passion in her soft eyes.

His smug smirk was one of pure masculine satisfaction.

"I don't hear you complaining about being married to me," he taunted lightly, his tone rich and teasing, and when she could think straight again, she started to open her mouth to protest only for him to cut her off. "By the way, this is yours."

He reached to the marble coffee table before them and revealed a hidden compartment at its base. Then, he retrieved a long, rectangular wooden box from its depths before shutting the secret drawer once more. The blonde unlatched the box and opened the lid, revealing a familiar looking stalk of Venetian glass rose resting upon the dark velvet cushion within its confines.

"My rose…you kept it for me." Haru murmured in surprise and reached out to take it from him. Her husband allowed her to do so before returning the empty box back to the coffee table. Haru ran her fingers over the exquisite artwork, once again marveling over the brilliant colors and lifelike details. She lifted her head at last to smile at him.

"Thank you, Bel. I like it very much."

"Make sure it stays that way. If you dare give away my gifts to you again, I swear I will spank your backside until it turns black and blue."

It was just like him to turn around and threaten her after doing something so thoughtful for her. Haru scowled at him but there was little heat in her glare.

"You are just going to use this as an excuse to fulfill your perverted fantasies," she accused in a disgruntled manner.

He smirked, not even bothering to deny her charge. The mental image of his naked wife bent over his knee, her pert, silkily pale bottom flushing delicately with each vigorous application of his palm, the soft, tensile flesh bouncing with each loud smack, not to mention the cute, erotic mews that she would make as she wriggled and squirmed under his hand made his already aroused body harden further with lust.

Of course, she would most likely scratch and bite and attempt to screech his ears off, but that would only add to the fun of it.

His smirk became sensual, predatory. "It's not a fantasy if I can make it a reality anytime I wish to," he purred.

Haru's eyes widened, and then she blushed heavily. "You are such a pervert," she muttered, but there was no disgust or anger in her tone. She carefully returned her glass rose back to its wooden box. The poor woman was already more or less used to his antics already, and had after all signed herself up for a lifetime of his perversions.

"If that's what you think, then I will try my best not to disappoint your expectations, _my dear_," he murmured silkily, the sly smile on his face one of devious mischief. "Especially now that we are on our honeymoon."

Haru turned quickly to the blonde, her expression one of stumped surprise.

"Wait- what honeymoon?"

He rolled his eyes at her gob smacked expression. Judging by her reaction, it was as if she fully expected him to drag her back to his cave and be done with. Her lack of confidence in him was quite insulting.

"You know, a honeymoon; a trip taken by newlyweds to consummate their marriage and get to know each other intimately?"

She scowled.

"I know what a honeymoon is! Why are we having one?"

"What do you mean, why? We just got married, didn't we? What kind of bride doesn't want to go on a honeymoon?"

Haru twitched.

"The kind who doesn't know that there will be one," she muttered back. "Thanks to inconsiderate husbands who don't tell them anything! We really need to work on your communication ability, Bel. Evil laughter does not count as a social skill!"

"I think we communicate well enough in bed," the man in question offered silkily. "In fact, I look forward to communicating with you very often in the immediate future."

"No, we are definitely not communicating _that_ way," Haru scowled peevishly. "Not unless whatever remote hole you are planning to hide us both in provides contraceptives. I'll run out of pills in a few days and will need to refill my prescription. You would have known that if you actually told me of this honeymoon plan in advance."

She sounded mildly reproachful, though he was not surprised that she had correctly guessed his intention to seclude them where they would not be disturbed. It proved that she understood him just fine and adapted quickly the rest of the time when he threw unexpected surprises at her, so her complaints were irrelevant—to him, that was.

"It will not be difficult to refill your prescription," Belphegor shrugged idly. All it would take was a phone call, after all. Haru looked at him, reluctantly placated. However, he was not done yet. "But there will be no need to. We don't require contraceptives any longer, do we?"

There was no mistaking what he was trying to say, though she could only continue to stare at him in surprise.

"What does that mean?" she asked at last.

"It means exactly what I just said," he replied, perfectly unruffled, as opposed to the somewhat shaken look on her expressive face. "We are now married; it is my privilege to father your children, and I intend to do exactly that—eventually."

Haru blinked, astounded.

"You think you are ready to be a father?" She sounded bewildered. The notion of Belphegor as a father was such a mindboggling concept to Haru that it was almost an oxymoron. She tried to picture her lover as a caring, dedicated parent and could not even try to imagine what that would look like. Knowing Belphegor, his definition of caring and dedicated would be not killing his children accidentally whilst raising them.

Of course, she had imagined herself having children with him on more than one occasion, though those were more harmless daydreams than actual planning. She had always thought that it would take at least a few more years before the wildness in him would settle down enough to give way to the maturity required for fatherhood, and that despite the constant pressuring of his royal advisors for him to have an heir, he had no interest whatsoever in fulfilling that life altering part of his duty yet.

It turned out that she had misjudged the situation somewhat.

Belphegor shrugged carelessly at her hesitant question. "Why not? I am a Prince and a powerful assassin. I am also a certified genius and my bloodline is impeccable. The world should be thankful that I have decided to procreate."

Haru shot him a flagrantly disbelieving expression. She was also not impressed by his usual 'I'm really the best thing since sliced bread' spiel.

"Oh, for the love of God, I'm not asking you why you think you deserve to be a parent, Belphegor, but rather, what makes you so confident that you are ready to be one? You probably have never even babysat a child before; no one in their right mind would let you near their offspring."

"True," Belphegor agreed. "I have limited contact with children, close to none, in fact." He smiled innocently at her. "But you do, and it is enough that the mother of my children knows how to take care of our future brood."

Sure enough, Haru quickly turned red at his matter-of-fact reply.

"What brood are you talking about? Do I look like a female sow to you?"

"Of course not, but I did mention that I want at least two children, so we might as well get started."

He made it sound as if they were about to embark on a knitting project or something equally trivial. Haru shook her head adamantly.

"No, Belphegor, I don't think that you are fully aware of the responsibilities required to raise a child. It's not as easy as you think! Why are you so eager to-" Then she paused, her eyes narrowing with suspicion, realization forming on her features. "Heirs! You just want to fulfill your duty to the Crown quickly so that your advisors will get off your case. That's why you want to have children so suddenly, isn't it?"

He didn't even try to deny her accusation, much to her growing outrage.

"That's right," he replied straight away, though before she could lose her temper completely, he continued. "But you have neglected to point out the other reason."

"What other reason can there be?" Haru snapped, aggravated. If he thought that he could make her pop out babies to make use of as he wished, then this honeymoon was definitely going to be cut tragically short-

"When you give birth to my offspring, you will be tied down to me permanently. You will never be able leave my side. You will be bound to me through all the children that we have created, and of course I intend to make sure that it happens as quickly as possible."

He had never been interested in the business of procreating for an heir to the throne because there had been no woman before Haru who had quite caught his attention like the way she always did. Tying himself down to any random female just for the sake of his duty to his country was something he would never do unless the female in question was someone he truly desired to keep by his side for all time. He hadn't exactly been actively searching for his elusive soul mate, but since she had stumbled into his life and bed by sheer coincidence (or it had seemed that way only to him), he was not foolish enough to let her slip by his fingers the moment he realized what he had.

And he would use the shackles of his royal duties to chain her down to him as an additional precaution, even if she did not appear as if she would leave him anytime soon, even if she did say that she loved him and had no intention of going anywhere. He would leave nothing to chance when it came to this—to her—this little sparrow would roost by his side from now on and he would make sure that it would become a permanent arrangement.

It began to occur to Haru that her husband had severe abandonment issues. He hid it well enough most of the time but it showed more and more in his possessiveness towards her, and had only gotten worse after she confessed her love to him. For a Prince who was supposedly very powerful and could have everything he wanted to buy with money, he was strangely vulnerable when it came to interpersonal relationships and he guarded Haru like an antagonistic dragon hell bent on hoarding its precious treasure.

She was, after all, the only female whom he had let in so close, his one-of-a-kind treasure. It was no wonder that he wanted to keep her nearby, though his method of doing so was completely awkward and showed his inexperience in such matters.

Despite her initial irritation, Haru quickly found herself at a loss of what to do. A look at Belphegor's face told her that he was serious, and the lack of embarrassment or fluster on his expression indicated that he was not at all shy or hesitant in this matter—he truly meant everything he said.

"Bel," she spoke softly, quietly, her cheeks slowly reddening. "I told you that I won't ever leave you; why are you acting like I'm going to run away at the very first opportunity?"

He looked at her through the veil of his burnished gold hair and said nothing for a brief moment. Then he tilted his head slightly and asked.

"Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

The meaning behind his cryptic reply was something she did not dare to think about, but yet she could not keep herself from hoping for it all the same. For awhile there, Haru forgot how to breathe. Her blush quickly intensified. Her heart was beating quite fast and it felt as though there was something large and fluffy slowly expanding in her chest. It was joy. She felt so shy at that moment under his intent gaze, which was ridiculous because this man sitting beside her had seen her naked more times than she could count, had touched her body and given her pleasure in ways that no other male had before.

He would make sure that he would be her first and last lover.

_It would be perfectly natural for her to bear the children of the man who held her heart. _

Slowly, she reached out for him though he easily caught her fingers in his first. His grip was tight but it felt so very reassuring to nestle her smaller hand in his larger one, and she looked up at him, love and trust reflected in the guileless pools of her soft, doe brown eyes. The previous unhappy expression on her face had given way to gentle exasperation, and there and then, Haru made up her mind.

"I suppose there's no harm in trying…" she allowed at last in reluctant surrender, giving in to him grudgingly. She squeezed his hand slightly and the look in her eyes turned to one of bashful affection. "It's not as if we are likely to get it right at first try."

The lazy, cat-like smirk that grew on his face at her shy, agreeable concession was both alarming and sensual to her at the same time. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers, using a bit of tongue against her soft, smooth flesh in a decadent promise of what was to come during this honeymoon of theirs. Haru gasped softly, her eyes darkening with responding interest at his playful, sexual behavior.

"My little sparrow," Belphegor purred huskily. "Who said anything about stopping after the first try?"

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, this chapter is dedicated to my most wonderful beta, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with for the past two, almost three, years.

To Melissa: Congratulations on your marriage, dear friend! I wish you and your significant other nothing but the best, and many, many happy, blissful years ahead (as well as plenty of hilarious/memorable /poignant episodes to tell the grandchildren)!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

For my readers: please accept this author's humble apologies for the delay! I was embarrassingly late in submitting the chapters to my beta this time, and all of you can thank her awesome promptness for this update!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Next, before any of you can get too excited (or too disappointed/annoyed/etc) over the fic's most recent plot progression, well, don't be! Haru might not mind trying for a baby with Belphegor, but that just means she will no longer be on contraceptives from now on. Since she really isn't an instant baby making machine, well, it will be quite some time before there will be little Bels and Harus running around. I know it may sound surprising to some of you, but these things _do_ take time (even if the couple in question are going at it like rabbits).

For those who are still wondering, that means it will still be quite awhile before there will be any news on the baby making front!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, they are _finally_ married! Gosh, this is such a milestone for the two of them; I feel like a nostalgic grandmother just thinking of how far they have come along!

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	37. Chapter 37

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 8019

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 14/01/11

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**Chapter Thirty Seven**

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Haru had been quite awed when they arrived at their destination one day later. It had taken a long air journey across the Pacific Ocean as well as a couple of pit stops to refill the aircraft's fuel tanks before they finally made the landing on a 122-acre, partially developed private island in The Bahamas, and the brunette had been pleasantly surprised by the sunny climate and warm, balmy weather when she stepped out of the airplane. Much to her delight, she could smell the salty sea breeze right upon arrival and it was enough to convince her to look forward to the rest of her honeymoon.

The island surroundings were pristine and left mostly untouched from what Haru could see, looking invitingly tropical to the thrilled woman. She quickly turned to her husband in excitement, the latter of whom looked quite overdressed in this hot and humid climate and was gingerly leaving the cool confines of the aircraft cabin. With his golden hair and pale, aristocratic features, Belphegor greatly resembled a disgruntled vampire who had gotten himself stuck in the wrong country, and even taking off his Varia jacket did not seem to help matters at all. Haru was half convinced that he was going to melt under the sun, but he only seemed somewhat irritable and fussy as they waited briefly for the chauffer to arrive, left with no choice but to brave the elements outside for a little while, so to speak.

Haru had basked quite happily under the warm sunshine, clearly enjoying the weather that her significant other failed to embrace with equal fervor. It became quickly apparent that Bel was only barely tolerating the equatorial climate and humid, tropical atmosphere, swearing impatiently under his breath when the ground transport took a little too long to arrive. He certainly did not look anywhere near as enchanted or as impressed by the lush, exotic surroundings as compared to his wife, that was for sure.

In fact, by the time they were ensconced in the safety of the vehicle, the usually pale-skinned blonde was looking rather flushed from the heat, and it quickly dawned on Haru that he was not used to the warm temperature. He was European by descent, hailing from a country up in the North that remained comfortably cool even on the hottest of days, and he was most definitely not appreciative of the stifling weather, enchanting island or not.

Thankfully enough, there was a mini freezer in the back of the luxury sedan, well stocked with refreshments, and together with the powerful air conditioner that Belphegor had ordered to be turned on at full blast, he was able to cool down quite quickly.

Haru had merely stared at her husband's exaggerated measures to combat the heat; really, he was such a spoilt prince. She had to admit that the temperature was a tad too warm for her tastes as well, but it was midday and the sun was at its zenith, so it was therefore quite naturally hot.

She was about to ask why he had chosen such a location for them to go to if he was so disgruntled by the local weather, but promptly lost her train of thought when the car pulled into the long, stately driveway of the impressive, Queen Anne manor-styled residence that seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere. It was as if the trees and the foliage of the dense forest had suddenly decided to pull back and reveal the quaint, charming gem of architecture, and she had been momentarily distracted by the elegant lines and slopes of the rather large manor, taking note of the green, well trimmed lawn and what looked like a small garden nestled into the side of the house.

Although the notion of such classic European architecture sitting in the middle of an island in The Bahamas would seem downright out of place and incongruent, it hardly looked that way to Haru at all. As the vehicle slowly approached the sheltered porch, she could see that the building was still quite new and obviously well kept, most likely built sometime within the last decade.

The house was maintained by a group of locals who lived and worked on the manor grounds. The small gathering of friendly, albeit somewhat nervous, staff had been waiting to welcome them at the entrance of the foyer when they entered the house, though in usual Haru fashion she had been thoroughly charmed by their native accents to notice when they greeted her with her new title.

Haru was especially surprised when she spotted Mortigor and Francesca standing unobtrusively at the side of the small group. The two of Bel's most loyal servants had been flown in specially to cater to their master's needs, and they came forward only when the rest of the manor's staff were dispersing to return to their respective duties. The impeccably dressed butler and the genteel, quiet housekeeper greeted their Prince and his Princess Consort with austere formality.

"Your Highnesses, congratulations on your nuptials. May this special union be a blessed and happy one. It will be our honor to serve and protect Princess Haru from now on, as well as all royal heirs born hereafter."

Mortigor had spoken on behalf of himself and all of his colleagues, the capable and efficient men and women who made up Bel's personal staff, and he certainly wasn't being subtle in their collective desire to see their Prince produce some offspring to ensure the continuation of the royal line. Haru blushed as she thanked them for their well wishes, though her unhelpful, impatient husband had merely stood around and look hot and surly.

"Well?" he demanded at last. "Can we pander to the new princess on our own time? And what is going to take for the central air-conditioning in this hellish place to actually work?"

Newlywed or not, Belphegor was definitely as charming as usual, and whereas Haru narrowed her eyes slightly at his ill-tempered manners, his servants merely served him with their usual promptness and knowing ways, well honed from the decades of catering to their master's irritable moods and sometimes cranky behavior. Without pause the royal couple was ushered through the large foyer and then up one of the impressive, winding twin grand staircases that flanked the main hall, and Haru was unwittingly captivated and intrigued by the flawless infusion of southern practicality and the charming, old English infrastructure and interior decorations.

Belphegor obviously noticed the light of interest in her eyes as she watched her surroundings with unconcealed curiosity.

"Like what you see?" he asked, though it was a rather redundant question. The pleasure that showed on her expressive features easily told him that she was thrilled just to be here.

The brunette turned to her husband and nodded quickly, the smile on her face portraying her delight.

"Everything looks wonderful," she agreed. "I think I will enjoy our stay here."

"You'd better," he muttered under his breath as they both strolled down the wide hallway after Francesca. Mortigor had dismissed himself earlier to see to lunch. "You are the owner of this place now, after all."

The simple enjoyment of her beautiful, inviting surroundings was quickly put aside at his remark. Haru stopped and stared at Belphegor for a good moment or so before she quickly scrambled after him.

"What do you mean by that?" she demanded as she quickly followed him through the manor. "What have you done now?"

Belphegor rolled his eyes, exasperated. Most women in her shoes would have been thrilled by the hint of an extravagant gift from their significant other, but the one he married just reacted with a good dose of wariness, almost as if expecting him to do something outrageous again, which wasn't really far from the truth, not that he would ever admit it.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," he grumbled crossly, too hot under the collar to graciously accommodate his wife's disbelief. "Are you hard of hearing?"

Haru refused to be sidetracked this time around.

"Did you seriously buy this house?" she asked, astonished.

"No," he replied promptly. "I didn't just buy the house. I bought the whole damned island."

He sounded like he was beginning to have second thoughts over purchasing prime real estate in a country whose climate he did not quite agree with, and Haru gawked at his offhanded remark. He was so…impulsive!

It wasn't as though he was making some small, casual purchase; the island that they were on was an impressively huge piece of land in a prime part of The Bahamas, a place the truly wealthy and famous made their playground. The sprawling, well kept manor, the private airfield that was installed with costly, high-tech equipment, even the well connected, fully paved roads all hinted at the extensive amount of development that had been invested into this island, and Haru was getting the impression that Belphegor had decided to buy the place _on a whim_.

Really! Sometimes she had no idea what he was thinking. He was most undoubtedly an unquestionable genius _most of the time_, but then he'd suddenly go off and do the most impulsive and _airheaded_ things at random times that would make her question his commonsense, or sometimes lack thereof.

As if aware of her incredulous thoughts, her new husband shrugged irritably.

"Alaisdair had mentioned that it would be a good investment," the blonde grumbled in his defense. "But if I had known earlier that I'd be buying a piece of hell on earth, I wouldn't have touched it with a fifty foot pole."

Haru shot him an exasperated stare. "You know, if you had actually done some research prior to throwing your money around like nobody's business, then perhaps you would have known that the climate here does not suit you," she replied in an annoyingly reasonable manner.

He scowled. Here he was, tormented by this insufferable heat, and she was proving to be completely unsympathetic to his plight. Some caring wife she was turning out to be.

"Well, it's yours; do whatever the hell you want with it. And this is the absolute last time I'm getting you anything, you ungrateful wench," he muttered with snappy disgruntlement, and she stared at him in surprise.

He barged his way through the door that Francesca had opened for them then, cagily sauntering into bedroom suite with irritated arrogance. Haru trailed behind him at a calmer, more sedate pace, and she smiled at the housekeeper distractedly in thanks before the latter retreated discreetly, her duty accomplished, leaving the newlywed couple alone in the privacy of their room.

The suite was a fairly impressive piece of work as well, elegantly decorated in a Victorian style. The large bed that dominated the entire room was hued in rich burgundy and brocade tones, and Haru vaguely noticed that all the furniture in the room possessed more or less a similar theme, with varying shades of deep crimson. The room looked exotic but also delightfully plush and inviting at the same time, and Haru was immediately drawn to the bed, sitting on its edge and giving it an experimental bounce or three, finding the springiness of the mattress much to her satisfaction.

Belphegor had headed straight for the adjoining bathroom without looking at anything else, shedding his clothes left and right with the unmistakable intention to immerse himself in a cooling shower. He disappeared through the doorframe but didn't shut the door, and very soon, Haru could hear the sounds of running water wafting from the bath.

Haru absently caressed the smooth silk sheet of the bed with her fingers. It felt nice and cool, she thought, finally lying back in a sprawl on the inviting mattress. The central air conditioner was working quite nicely too, and together with the comfy surface and quiet atmosphere, it didn't take long for Haru to fall into a contented nap.

She was lying curled on her side on the bed and clearly asleep by the time he emerged from his shower some twenty minutes later, considerably less surly and irritable now that he wasn't hot and sweaty and unbearably sticky. His new wife looked rather comfortable where she was lying in the middle of the mattress, and after he had dried his hair, he discarded the towel and climbed into bed beside her, unashamedly nude and intent to make her at least partially so as well.

She must have been quite jetlagged from all the flying about, for she slept like the dead and didn't even stir when he removed her blouse and unhooked her bra. Taking off her knee length skirt required a bit more skill but he managed, at last leaving her only in the small scrap of sunny yellow, cute rubber ducky themed cotton that served as her panties, and those he decided to leave be for the moment.

She emitted a sleepy, kittenish churr from her throat and turned towards him then, instinctively cuddling up against him, bare skin against bare skin, nuzzling her face against his chest with unhidden affection. He rolled onto his back and took her with him, his arm locked around her waist, his nose buried amongst her hair. She smelt as wonderful as usual, her innate softness irresistible to him, and he easily felt himself relax around her. Haru continued to sleep, her body pliant and trusting, not even jolting awake when he slipped a hand under the elastic waistband of her panties to cup her pert bottom.

The blonde gave the softly rounded, tensile flesh a firm, happy squeeze. That piece of ass officially belonged to him now, he thought smugly. As usual, he was starting to get aroused just by being in her proximity, the addictive warmth of her inner thighs completely distracting and alluring, but this time around, he checked his urges, gallantly allowing her to get some rest before they got down to the business of procreating for Bel Jr.

Of course, he didn't move his hand away from her delectable backside, had in fact shifted and deliberately aligned their bodies to fit just so that her pelvis straddled the lean cradle of his loins, the hot softness between her legs rubbing against his semi-erect member. She sighed and wriggled slightly, her eyes still closed in sleep, and a small growl of lust rumbled from his chest.

The warmth she generated was most definitely the only type of heat that he welcomed with unrestrained fervor, though regrettably enough, he controlled himself from the rather tempting urge to slide into her inviting body and wake her up with a rousing round of hot, passionate sex. The woman was clearly not used to jetting around the world like he often did and was therefore exhausted, and the blonde was reluctant to wake her up just yet. He cursed inwardly and closed his eyes instead, praying for patience as he waited for his goddamn hard on to subside some. He was in a hell of his own making.

Belphegor frowned.

Good god, he wasn't even married for two whole days and already he was acting the role of a devoted, _considerate_ husband. The look on the blonde's face quickly turned to one of disgruntled incredulity. The other Varia Commanders were definitely going to have a field day if they ever caught wind of this development, not that he planned to let any one of them know. Ever.

He would shoot himself first if he was ever in danger of turning into one of those husbands who constantly ran after their errant wives like chickens without their heads.

Curled up safely by his side, the armful of sweet smelling woman he held continued to slumber on blissfully, unaware of the physical and mental discomfort that she was putting her husband through.

This was definitely not the climatic beginning to their honeymoon that he had envisioned, especially since his Princess Consort had gone and fallen asleep on him before anything of the more amorous nature could be put into action, but Belphegor had to admit that she had a pretty good idea, to nap away the warm, balmy afternoon.

He could always begin the ravishing later that evening, but for now, sleep sounded pretty good, especially since their surroundings were quiet and tranquil, and Haru was in her place right by his side.

The golden-haired Prince closed his eyes, his sinewy, whipcord frame relaxing even more, lulled by the peaceful atmosphere.

It wasn't long before both inhabitants of the master bedchamber were fast asleep.

* * *

When Haru woke up an hour later, still somewhat groggy and languid from slumber, she found herself lying in bed, splayed on top of Belphegor. She was also quite nude, clad only in her panties in fact, though she wasn't very alarmed by her unclothed state. The air conditioner was working on full blast; the room was ridiculously cold compared to the tropical climate outside, but the warmth that came from her husband was enough to keep her at a comfortable temperature.

As he normally did, he held her securely like he would a beloved teddy bear, and she stirred slightly, tilting her head to look at him. He was clearly fast asleep, his tousled blonde fringe settling over the upper half of his face as always, his angular, aristocratic features relaxed in repose, his usually sardonically smirking lips slightly parted as his chest rose and fell steadily with his every breath. He was completely unguarded and looked innocently harmless lying beneath her, a beautiful, sleeping Adonis Prince with a chiseled, lean body of a flawless assassin.

And from yesterday onwards, he was also her husband.

He was the man she loved with her entire being, and now they were tied firmly together by the bonds of marriage. For some reason, that confirmation easily sent her heart all aflutter with joy. She felt uncharacteristically lighthearted and giddy like a love struck schoolgirl, and the small but brilliant smile that lit up her face just said about everything.

It was the truth that she was very happy to be by his side, and it showed in the tenderness in her soft, doe brown eyes as well as the gentle, chaste kiss that she pressed lovingly on to the corner of his mouth before settling contentedly back in the circle of his arms. She cuddled trustingly into his embrace, nuzzling her face against his neck and closing her eyes, slowly sliding back into a light doze.

_I will be in your care from now on_, she thought happily.

_And one day, I will make you realize that you love me just as much as I love you. _

* * *

Alaisdair stepped confidently into the conference chambers of the Royal Council, glancing briefly at the rows of stern faces and austere facades of the various aristocrats who were attending this hastily called meeting before he calmly took his seat before the audience.

Outwardly, Archduke Rousseau was a picture of serenity and unflappable grace. Inwardly, the dark-haired male was grimly amused as he stared casually back at the group of elder nobles with their usual pinched expressions and disapproving glares, well aware that he was giving them a small conniption fit just by being present. Most in the group of fussy traditionalists had never truly forgiven him for his supposedly 'vulgar intrusion' of the sacred House of Nobles, namely due to the stain of his scandalous history.

Alaisdair was what one would term an illegitimate child, or in more vulgar words, a bastard. He was the byproduct of a drunken one night stand between his noble sire and a shrewd gold digging actress of a mother, and the other lords had never let him forget that. Despite the previous Archduke's lascivious skirt chasing ways, Alaisdair had been his only issue. Bastard or not, a DNA test had quickly proven his paternity, not to mention secured Alaisdair the position as his heir as well as the second-in-line to the royal throne, right after his distant cousin, Crown Prince Belphegor.

And when the horny old coot had met an abrupt, _anticlimactic_ end between the thighs of a young social escort involving the liberal usage of those infamous little blue pills, the whole thing had been quickly hushed up and Alaisdair had been promptly pushed into his father's position as the head of his family. He had earned an automatic seat amongst the House of Nobles, much to the dismay of the other 'pure' aristocrats, and they never quite forgave him when the Crown Prince picked him out of all the other young bloods to serve as royal steward and retainer.

Belphegor had chosen him mostly because of his intelligence and capability to swiftly perform his duties with great efficiency, and of course it was an added bonus that he could piss off the council just by presence alone. The sardonically gleeful Prince had all but appointed him on the spot within moments of their first meeting.

It had also helped that Alaisdair did not have the inclination to run off in fear of the murderous, sadistic blonde like the past four stewards were wont to do, and it had taken an entire fortnight or so of keen observation before the dark-haired male finally found Belphegor's weakness in the form of stacks of paperwork. And the rest, as they say, was history.

It had been at least a decade since they had started working together, and although Alaisdair was not exactly thrilled to serve as a human barrier between the troublemaking blonde and the Royal Council, he had to admit that life was far from boring as the steward of an assassin Prince. Alaisdair had never had to announce a wedding on behalf of Belphegor before, but he was certainly looking forward to doing so this time around. Bless their new Princess Consort; thanks to her grace, he was going to be treated to a spectacular show today.

It was enough to bring a small, cool smile to the man's handsome, angular features.

The meeting began without much ado when all the members of the various noble families were accounted for.

The highest ranked and most senior of the House was quick to narrow his bespectacled, rheumy gaze on the much younger Archduke. The elder's thin, hooked nose had never failed to remind Alaisdair of a vulture's sharp merciless beak, and it didn't help matters any that this particular aristocrat was as bald as one either.

"Archduke Rousseau," the old man began in a thin, nasal tone after the former had serenely, formally, greeted the Lords gathered in the conference chamber. "What is your purpose of calling this hasty, impromptu audience?"

Judging by the general air of disgruntlement in the room, it went unsaid that not many were thrilled by his decision to make an important announcement in the early hours of the morning.

"I'm here on official business on behalf of His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Belphegor," Alaisdair replied with cool composure.

A look of reluctant interest crept into the eyes of the older man. It was rare that the Prince had something to say to the Council, and despite their strong disapproval over the blonde's violent antics and hell raising ways, they were still holding out for the hope that Belphegor would eventually settle down and take his duties seriously.

Sardonically, Alaisdair noted that the elder's demeanor quickly changed at his simple remark, as did most of the older aristocrats' who had seats in the prestigious House. Hypocrites, all of them. The dark-haired Archduke smiled thinly at the suddenly attentive manner in which he was being scrutinized by the group as a whole. If he was the dramatic, over imaginative sort, he would have imagined himself stuck in a wolves' den, smack dab in the middle of the pack's eldest, wiliest beasts, slavering and silently jockeying for position as they watched him intently, old age and treachery gleaming in those scheming, aged gazes, waiting for the slightest opportunity to pounce on any mistake that he would make...

Alaisdair was not too concerned though. He had walked into this chamber with the full knowledge that he was backed by the most dangerous of them all, and this particular group of aristocrats knew it as well. It was the reason why they were so eager for their Prince to succeed the throne; a pack of hungry, opportunistic predators could bring down much larger prey—provided the one that led the hunt was aggressive and powerful enough to keep the group from turning against itself.

The Royal Family of Tsiveone had always ruled their kingdom through sheer power and intimidation, and according to the narrow mindset of the noble subjects, based on unyielding tradition and outdated customs, that must never change.

Belphegor could do no wrong in their eyes, at least, nothing that could not be forgiven or overlooked. As far as the Council was concerned, the blonde had already proven himself worthy of the throne by both the existence of the royal blood that flowed within his veins as well as through the rite of mortal combat. Coupled with his mad genius and ruthless capability to manipulate people as and when necessary (though most of the time for his own gain more than anything else), they were convinced that he would make a brilliant King, and were therefore determined to make sure it happened as soon as possible.

It was especially so when the other alternative was to hand over the throne to the bastard son of a disgraced aristocrat who was infamous for his lecherous skirt chasing ways and scandal-filled past, Alaisdair thought with rueful amusement. It was rather understandable that the elders would rather keep pushing the position onto his distant assassin cousin, even if Belphegor had no interest whatsoever in the endless responsibilities that came with the title.

"Well, Archduke Rousseau? What is this announcement that His Highness wishes the House of Nobles to know?" the same elder demanded with barely veiled impatience. Alaisdair was hardly offended by the testy tone; Belphegor had always referred to this particular elder as a 'crusty old fart.' If anything, the glacier blue eyes of the dark-haired male only seemed to reflect mild amusement.

"Gentlemen, Lord Rothesby," Alaisdair addressed the entire room with silky calm. "This announcement concerns the decision that our Prince has recently made in consideration of his marital status."

It was rather entertaining to watch the twenty or so aristocrats in attendance stare at him in surprise. It also didn't hurt to notice how the various fathers of unmarried daughters sat up immediately to pay attention to his next words. They were definitely going to be in for a surprise if they thought they could foist their female offspring onto his cousin.

"Marital status, you say?" Lord Nicholas Rothesby, also known as the 'crusty old fart,' was quick to ask. "Has His Highness finally acquiesced to do his duty by his Kingdom?"

It was interesting to note how the elder spoke of the royal marriage like it required a huge sacrifice on Belphegor's part. In hindsight, it probably would have been so, if not for the fact that the blonde had the good sense to choose his own woman.

Alaisdair decided not to give a verbal reply. He inclined his head graciously instead, and excited murmurs started to float through the room.

Lord Rothesby nodded approvingly.

"It is about time His Highness takes up the duty of setting up his nursery," the old man commented blithely.

It was too good of an opening to waste, especially since the Archduke had been debating how he should announce the joyful news of Belphegor's marriage to the Council.

"Do not worry, Lord Rothesby," Alaisdair drawled tranquilly. "I'm very sure that the Prince is quite diligently seeing to that particular endeavor even as we speak."

They didn't get his meaning at first.

Then, the Archduke stood up from his seat and withdrew a sealed envelope from the inside pocket of his coat. He strolled unhurriedly towards the elder and passed the crisp, enclosed folder of documents to the latter.

Lord Rothesby started to frown when he accepted the paperwork from the younger man. He broke open the seal and started to read. By now, the rest of the other lords were definitely getting curious over the unusual proceedings. The quiet murmurs in the room rose a few decibels.

True to form, by the time Rothesby was done reading the documents, he was scowling furiously.

"What is the meaning of this, Archduke?" the elder squawked with disbelief, still gawking at the outrageous piece of information that he had just read. Was this a joke?

Alaisdair merely slipped on a politely vague expression on his face. Inwardly, the dark-haired man was chuckling quietly at the rapidly reddening features of the old man. It was not often that he could liken the austere, pompous lord to an outraged turkey like the old man looked now.

"Well, it means that congratulations are in order to the Royal House of Tsiveone," Alaisdair spoke levelly, enjoying the moment but still careful to keep a straight face. "After all, you are looking at our Prince's marriage certificate, Lord Rothesby."

* * *

"What do you mean she went outside?" Belphegor demanded irritably as he stared at his housekeeper.

Francesca was unfazed by her master's fearsome scowl. The matronly female nodded placidly in confirmation. "The Princess Consort desired to explore the grounds," Francesca replied sedately. "There is no reason why she cannot be allowed to do as she pleases."

In other words, his head servants were so thrilled by the existence of their new Princess that they were more than willing to satisfy her every little whim. The fact that they genuinely liked and approved of his Japanese-born wife seemed to give her the liberty of getting away with anything she wanted, he thought rather begrudgingly.

"So you let her outside even when the security parameters have not been established yet?" the blonde accused sharply, clearly aggravated.

It was obvious that Belphegor was not pleased that his chosen mate had been allowed to leave the security of the house unprotected when the area around it had not been officially cleared of threats yet. That and the blonde was nowhere near ready to let Haru out of his sight so soon after she had been tricked away from him the last time, and was understandably quite irritated when he woke up without her anywhere nearby.

Fortunately enough, Francesca seemed to understand the reason behind his displeasure.

"Mortigor, as well as a couple of the mansion's help, accompanied Her Highness on her stroll, Your Highness. Your Consort is being well guarded from any form of danger; there is no cause for worry."

The golden-haired male stiffened briefly as if gravely insulted. He stared at the serene, calm gaze of his trusted servant and promptly decided that the senile old woman must be out of her mind. His scowl worsened.

"I'm not worried," he snapped defensively.

Just because he finally went and got married did not mean that he had suddenly joined the ranks of those wimpy husbands who fretted over their wives all the damned time, and Belphegor was quite suspicious of any shifty characters who dared to insinuate otherwise. "It's just going to be annoying as hell if she went and got herself kidnapped again. How on earth are we supposed to create heirs if she won't stay put in bed?" he grumbled under his breath. "I'm not going to spend the whole of this trip chasing after that woman…"

Francesca merely stood aside and waited patiently as her master continued to vent belligerently, aware that the young man was only disgruntled to wake up without convenient access to his new wife. The blonde had much to learn still as a husband, but it was not in the housekeeper's place to provide advice in this circumstance. The young master whom she had helped raised from a very small child to this capable, powerful individual was her King in all but title, and the middle-aged woman was quietly proud that he was now a married man, slowly but surely shouldering the responsibilities that was his to take by birthright.

For now though, he still muttered and complained like a petulant teenager, and Francesca observed as her master vehemently denied his emotional attachment to his young, pretty wife, completely reluctant to see the truth in his relationship with his Consort and determined to tell everyone otherwise. The blonde royal was clearly in denial—after all, everyone knew that elopements were only done for love matches. Never mind that he had gone so far as to prepare an extreme backup plan to kidnap her should she refuse his proposal again, but by now, even the household staff back at the Varia castle could see that their Prince was clearly smitten with his lover and now wife. And fortunately for everyone involved, it was blatantly clear that his mate loved him back with equal fervor, if not even more.

Needless to say, the servants were rather hopeful that their temperamental Prince would remain in marital bliss for as long as possible.

"Well? So where is she?" Belphegor asked at last, but not before blustering a lot. Evidently, the golden-haired assassin felt the rather pressing need to disassociate himself from the rest of the other doting husbands, most likely fueled by the false belief that being happily married would make him seem tamed and domesticated. The blonde really didn't have to worry about the self perceived change in his image—those who knew of him even in passing were more likely to feel sorry for the poor woman whom he had picked out to be his life partner; either that or wonder in trepidation just what kind of fearsome female it took to snare the assassin Prince's attention.

They'd be surprised by how endearingly ordinary the new Princess Consort was.

It was definitely love alright, even if her master kept denying vehemently.

Dutifully, Francesca divulged the directions to the Princess's current location, watching bemusedly as the Prince promptly strode through the main door and out of the house in search of his mate, all the while muttering about how he could hardly care less about Haru, and that how ridiculous, he was certainly _not_ worried.

Nobody asked the housekeeper, but it did look like the golden-haired royal had it pretty bad for his bride.

* * *

True to form, Mortigor as well as a few of the locally hired guards were keeping careful watch over their mistress when Belphegor finally arrived at the edge of the hidden lagoon that was part of the island.

A full moon hung low and pregnant on the night skies, accompanied by broad swathes of sparkling stars. The peaceful, calm waters of the lagoon reflected a near perfect image of the celestial bodies twinkling above, and the cool night breeze as well as the quietly lapping sounds of seawater simply added to the tranquil aura of the scene. The fine, white sands that covered the stretch of beach glowed a pale ivory under the moonlight, lending an otherworldly air to the private island even as tall, sheltering palm trees bordered the upper edges of the seashore.

Nestled under one of the large boughs of the trees was Haru, curled on a generously spread blanket with what appeared like a plate of small tea cakes as well as drinks of some sort. She did not notice the silent arrival of her husband, having been facing away from him and too contentedly enjoying the beautiful scenery of the sea spread out before her to notice when he appeared on the sandy beach.

The butler noticed his master's arrival though, having been hovering a small distance away from the Princess Consort whom he had been faithfully keeping watch. Belphegor dismissed the middle-aged servant as well as the local staff with a sharp gesture of his head, and Mortigor quietly retreated with the other guards in tow. The blonde waited until all the others had returned to the manor before he approached his wife in a lazy prowl, mild irritation still flickering on his angular features, but even that small discontent was rapidly fading away now that she was in sight. Still, he was contemplating whether to give her a small scare in return for making him search for her up and down the island in the middle of the night when she, apparently having developed some sort of husband proximity sensor, turned her head around and spotted him first.

It was not difficult to see the soft contentment on her face when it was being displayed so guilelessly and without any subterfuge whatsoever, and when she saw him, her eyes lit up with quiet pleasure. He went to her instinctively, sinking down to a crouch beside her and swiftly abandoning his earlier intention to frighten some sense into her. He was still a bit annoyed though, but before he could open his mouth to berate her for causing him no small amount of inconvenience, she sidled up to his side and pounced, wrapping her arms around him.

He definitely did not expect her spontaneous act, his eyes widening imperceptibly as he promptly lost his balance and fell back in a sprawl on the blanket, his enthusiastic wife on top of him. His arms came up and held her close even as he grunted in surprise, and then she was showering him with sweet affection, peppering soft kisses on his neck and chin and mouth. In light of her apparently overjoyed response to the sight of him, his usually difficult to appease temper promptly died a quick, painless death. After all, it wasn't as if he could spare the time to yell at her when she was happily smothering him with kisses, and so he just lay there for a bit, feeling strangely content where he was, all the while wondering what the hell had just happened.

It was a question that he would revisit often in the span of his marriage to Haru, much to nobody's surprise but his own.

Eventually, her fervor for him seemed to abate some, though she was still nuzzling him with great affection and all but purring like a pleased little feline, completely reluctant to separate from him. It made him wonder why she even left their bedroom in the first place if she wanted to stay near him so badly.

"I didn't thank you for the wedding present just now," her muffled voice floated up to his ears then. The brunette raised her head to look at her husband, her eyes glowing with warmth and happiness. She raised her hand to gently part his long fringe just so that she could look at his eyes, and then she reached up and kissed his cheek innocently.

"I love it very, very much," she declared when she pulled back slightly to stare at him again, a soft smile playing on her face. "This place is so beautiful; thank you for giving it to me. I promise that I will never take it, or you, for granted."

She was being so serious and very sincere as she looked at him straight in the eyes and made her vow, and then she tightened her arms around his neck and leaned her forehead against his.

"I will try my best to be a good wife to you," she told him quietly, firmly determined to make their marriage work. "I love you, Bel."

Even though he had never said those three precious little words back to her, even though she wasn't sure if she would ever get to hear it from him at all, Haru was not the type to withhold her affections just because she wasn't getting what she wanted from her significant other. Besides, it never failed to fill her with a sense of happiness and fulfillment to verbally confirm her deep attachment to this man who was her husband—this was her soul mate, the one special person in the world whom she had found to give the gift of her heart to.

Her chest felt like it was about to burst open with the best sort of positive sentiments, and it was as if she was reaffirming her emotional bonds to him every time she told him that she loved him. She was such an affectionate creature by nature; she quickly found that she _liked_ telling him she loved him, and not just because she never wanted him to forget her devotion, but also because it made her feel so very fortunate and lucky.

There were millions who went through life without ever meeting that rare someone whom they could wholeheartedly love, and she was so happy and blessed that the one whom she had found most certainly did not mind hoarding her love all to himself, even if he was quite reluctant to give her his heart in return. That had troubled her for a short while, but Haru had quickly worked the problem out herself. Simply put; being estranged from Belphegor had hurt her more than his refusal to share his feelings with her had, and that was how she knew that she had fallen irrevocably in love with him, that it didn't matter if he did or did not return her affections, she would still love him regardless.

Thankfully enough, his actions and demeanor towards her did not support the possibility of his callous disregard and lack of feelings where she was concerned. He was affectionate and attentive towards her in his own way, even though he tended to show it in unusual manners, and that gave her hope.

She had been doing a lot of thinking out here by the lagoon earlier when Belphegor was still asleep, and she had already thought everything through. One day, when he was finally good and ready to do so, Haru was sure that he would let her know what he thought of her. But until then, she knew that she could be content with what she had now—a permanent place by his side, sharing his bed, in his life. She was his partner for life now, his lover, his wife, and she would commit herself fully to make their relationship work.

The expression on her face was so solemn and determined that it was almost comical, but to Belphegor who had never had anyone who was so fervent and sweetly earnest for his sake, it was _different_. By all rights, he should have laughed her reaction off, but inexplicably, something within his chest tightened instead at her simple, selfless oath to him, something fierce and savage and possessive, for he knew that he did not deserve this woman.

By all rights and purpose, she was never meant for him. She moved in a different circle from his, one more idealistic and perfect, filled with chivalrous knights and gallant Bosses who would never hesitate to rescue and shield her from the evils of the world. Then, by an act of sheer coincidence she had stepped into his realm, into the murkier shadows of the Mafia that he ruled with his fellow Commanders. She shone like an out of place beacon to him then, and he had been attracted to her right from the start.

He had ended up tricking her into a physical relationship with him, stealing away her virginity regardless of her protests and taking an untold amount of liberties with her person. He bullied her blatantly when he could get away with it and although she never failed to fight back against his initially unwanted advances, her feistiness and never-say-die attitude only served to make him desire her even more. By all right and purposes, she should hate him for everything he had done to her. But yet, somehow, despite his constant harassment and taking advantage of her kinder nature, she grew to accept him wholeheartedly instead, violence, wild abrasiveness and all, gently embracing his rough, edgy demeanor, becoming so guilelessly affectionate towards him, and even _falling in love with him_.

He couldn't figure her out at all, just like he had no idea what he had done to deserve her loyalty and devotion. Perhaps she had made a mistake when it came to marrying him, but still, he greedily lapped up her love and attention, filled with the utterly selfish, pressing need to keep all her affection to himself. If he was a lesser man, he would have fervently thanked whichever god who looked out for lunatic assassin princes and was kind enough to allow him to stumble upon Haru, but he was not, and therefore he would settle on always having her safely by his side instead. Instincts told him that he would only ever meet one Haru in his lifetime, and if he wanted to continue basking in her love, then he would have to take special care of her. It was just as simple as that.

It was the bare truth that Belphegor did not feel that he was deserving of his wife, but he was definitely going to keep her all the same. He didn't think that he was ever going to get sick of hearing her declare her love for him, and anyone who tried to convince her otherwise was going to have to face the vindictive wrath of an angry, possessive husband.

As ridiculously sappy as it sounded, she belonged to him and nothing safe for his untimely demise would prompt him to release her from their bond.

An undecipherable expression flickered past his face, and then Belphegor snorted.

"Idiot," he muttered, but there was no heat whatsoever in his tone. If anything, he seemed more exasperated than anything else. "If I wasn't sure that you'd make me a suitable wife, I wouldn't have married you, convenient or not."

Haru just stared at him, unsure of his meaning. Then he rolled his eyes and waited for her to figure it out herself; his latest admission had made him distinctly uncomfortable and he had no intention whatsoever to make a habit out of making such revealing statements often. It was just as well that she easily understood what he was trying to say; her doe brown eyes softened, and then she leaned forward and dropped a small, sweetly affectionate kiss on his jaw. He relented and nuzzled her gruffly, and she leaned quite happily into his touch, quietly enjoying his ministrations.

Here, shrouded in complete privacy and safe from prying eyes, he could lower his guard and show her the affection that she craved. He was obviously quite new to this, but he was not particularly adverse to it as long as no one was around to bear witness to this gentler side of him. She hummed with contentment, at last laying her head on his shoulder, a small sigh of bliss escaping her smaller frame.

She was quite easy to please, he thought not for the first time as they both laid there on the blanket, just enjoying the quiet, comfortable surroundings as well as each other's company. This was definitely not how Belphegor envisioned his first honeymoon night to be, but he could not seem to bring himself to mind.

She really was making him soft, he thought absently even as he stroked her back lazily. She curled around him, stifling a small yawn, her eyes closing as she settled down for a nap. Most in her position would have been stiff with alarm at sharing such close proximity with him, but she only showed such trust and sleepy relaxation, and he knew that if he wasn't careful, she would really turn him into a doting husband, one she could easily lead around by the nose like a dull, plodding water buffalo.

And something, a sudden rush of premonition perhaps, told him that he would go willingly (or at least grudgingly so) wherever she led.

There and then, the alarmed blonde began to wonder if this was love.

_

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

First of all, please accept my apologies for the ultra late update. This tardiness will _not_ be a frequent occurrence, I assure you, and I also promise that chapter updates will resume every fortnightly _at least_.

For those of you who are interested to know, the reason behind this late update was purely logistical. I have been on a vacation in Europe with my family for the past couple of weeks, and in the rush of packing for the lengthy trip, I had carelessly left behind my thumbdrive containing all the chapters at home instead of bringing it along with me as originally planned. Without the files, I was naturally unable to update 'Of Sparrows and Princes,' something that I'm rectifying immediately now that I'm finally back home again.

Once again, so sorry for the delay, ladies! Also, I have read and seen all of your nice, encouraging feedbacks and reviews, and as per usual, I will definitely try my best to live up to your expectations.

BelHaru FTW!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

To answer one of the reviewer's question in particular (actually, some of you have already asked this before but I have just never gotten around to giving a proper reply yet), I have every intention to write as much as I can for this lovely pairing for as long as my muse is accommodating (and right now, my muse is very accommodating, I assure you).

I have a vague plot in my head just how I would like this fic to progress, and it is a rather long termed plan, to be honest. I have even had the personalities and physical appearances of the BelHaru fanbabies thought out already; how they would interact with their parents and the people around them, their various experiences growing up in a Mafia Famiglia and surrounded by powerful assassins/Vongola Guardians, and also importantly, how Belphegor and Haru would take to raising their little family, and etc, so in theory, I can still take this fic pretty far; in fact, most probably much further than any one of you are willing to imagine.

On the other hand, I can also end this fic just when the royal offspring arrive, like a final loose end to tie up in the finale of happy endings for this lovely couple. How the plot unfolds all depends on whether if I still have the time and the energy to write in between my studies. It's not exactly an ironclad promise to the readers, but it's the most that I can do for now, so we will just see how it goes.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

And yes, he bought her an entire island in The Bahamas as a wedding gift—on a whim. For those who missed the memo in the fic itself, the island was actually part of a backup plan to kidnap Haru to it should she refuse Belphegor's marriage proposal again, though thankfully enough for everyone involved, she said yes before he could do anything too drastic, and so the island turned from a potential hideaway for nefarious purposes to wedding present instead.

Generously romantic gesture or grossly lavish expenditure, I will leave it up to you readers to decide. Still, do remember that Belphegor is not exactly accustomed to the role of doting husband just yet—at least not without going to extravagant extremes which he thinks are perfect measures to show off the extent of his willingness to indulge his bride. Clearly, he has much to learn still, but I thought I should just point out that our resident 'Prince of Varia' is not exactly the leading expert on human interaction, so do cut him some slack for attempting to overcompensate!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	38. Chapter 38

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6771

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 10/02/11

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**Chapter Thirty Eight**

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It did not take Haru long to decide that the not so small island that Belphegor had bought her was the most beautiful place that she had ever set foot on. Even with the warm, balmy weather and the hot, sticky afternoons, the brunette only saw beauty wherever she turned and she was particularly enamored of the clear, sparkling waters, the rich, tropical scenery and the abundant wildlife that made their home in this little slice of heaven that Belphegor had given her. She had been startled and then amused when she saw a small family of pigs swimming near the shoreline on the first morning of their stay here, and the little masked raccoons that tried to sneak into the manor kitchen to steal food scraps had looked so cute even as they scurried hurriedly across the backyard and back into the surrounding forests, chased by the exasperated cook and her helpers.

An attending Mortigor had noticed her bemused expression, and had tactfully advised his mistress not to encourage the forest critters by feeding them when she had the opportunity, much to her disappointment. The middle-aged butler was quickly and surely beginning to grasp the Princess Consort's moods just as he did her mate's, that was for sure.

And speaking of mates, it seemed to her that Belphegor had taken to adopting the lifestyle of a vampire since coming to stay on the island. He was cranky and irritable in the daytime and simply refused to step out of the comfortably air conditioned confines of the house. At night, he was more tolerable but quickly became quite antsy with nothing better to do since he was on official leave from his Varia duties and there weren't exactly any convenient someones for him to kill and/or maim out in the island. He was _extremely_ affectionate towards her though, in his usual lustful, unapologetically carnal way, and she welcomed his advances with sweet enthusiasm. Like typical honeymooners, they spent a significant amount of time locked up in the master bedchambers, bonding intimately with each other. That was the abbreviated version.

The not-so-abbreviated version was that he had taken to keeping her up all night with his addictive lovemaking and then still refused to let her out of bed in the day. For the past few days in a row, they slept the mornings and the warmest part of the afternoons away, stretched out in bed and focused on nothing but each other. With nothing on their respective agendas, no deadlines to fulfill and no pressing assignments to embark on, Haru was more than happy to bask in the attention of her husband. He was an excellent lover as always and just as she thrilled in his touch, he could not seem to get enough of her as well. Their lovemaking often varied; sometimes lazy and languid, other times fast and frenzied, but always filled with such need and passion. She easily matched him in fervor and ardor, and it didn't take him long to completely set aside his bloodlust and just concentrate on her instead.

Haru was definitely pleased to be on the receiving end of his full attention and it showed in the quick responsiveness of her body as well as the satisfied, cat-like manner in which she would curl up next to him in bed. He certainly didn't mind her close proximity—she was conveniently within his reach and he was simply insatiable for her. He worshipped her body with his hands and mouth, lips and tongue and teeth kissing and licking and biting her smooth silky flesh, repeatedly and possessively marking her as his. She was more than willing to submit to his sensual ministrations, and also daringly left traces of herself on him as well, much to his pleasure. The reddened marks on his back and flanks as she dug her nails into him in a fit of passion, the tiny little love bites that she placed on his chest and neck and abdomen in a haze of sexual ecstasy, and he purred roughly with enjoyment through it all, blatantly encouraging her to stake her claim on him.

Therefore, it was not surprising that poor Haru was often completely wrung out in the mornings, limp and boneless and sprawled over her husband in an exhausted heap. Belphegor was definitely succeeding in his plan to constantly keep her with him in bed. After all, he had no intention of stepping out of the house to 'explore the island' like she was so keen to do, especially not when he was still far from done 'exploring' her. Since it was unacceptable that the woman would most likely venture outside with or without him, this was the next best solution, not that he was complaining about the lovemaking very much.

"I hate you," she had muttered disgruntledly against his chest when he had responded to her sleepy suggestion of going down to the beach later by rolling her onto her back to start another round. He chuckled silkily even as he reached for the sweet spot between her thighs, already moistening in conditioned anticipation of what was to come next. Her body never lied when it came to him, and his pleased smirk widened further when her legs parted for him instinctively despite her verbal protests.

"You won't be complaining in a few minutes' time," he retorted amusedly, and she bit her lip to hold back a small, shaky moan when he slipped a finger into her. She was highly sensitive and her inner passage rippled uncontrollably around him, and she bared her neck instinctively when he kissed her shoulder and slowly nibbled his way to her clavicle. He made her toes curl so very easily, and her willpower was pitifully overcome when pitted against the temptation that was him.

However, this time she was determined to put up at least some sort of resistance—either that or get him to promise that he would go to the beach with her. Really, what was the point of buying her such a gorgeous island when he wouldn't even let her leave the house?

"Bel-" her voice was hitched, her heartbeat starting to pick up speed as familiar pleasure rippled through her entire being—her husband was putting his hands and mouth to _very_ good use—and Haru was almost reluctant to make him stop. She tugged sharply on his hair though, eliciting a grunt from him. "I want to go to the beach later," she told him breathlessly, almost demandingly.

He rumbled something between the valley of her breasts but it most definitely did not sound like an agreement to her. If anything, he redoubled his efforts to arouse her body to a fevered pitch, and Haru quickly forgot about what she wanted to tell him. He was deliberately doing that thing with his fingers and tongue that never failed to make her lose her train of thought, and her breathing started to quicken, her cheeks blooming with color even as her limbs trembled finely with growing desire. Her hips twitched helplessly against the delicious tempo of his hand as he rubbed against her with knowing motions, and the hot, urgent press of his own erection against her inner thigh made her squirm and gasp…

"I really hate you," Haru panted disgruntledly half an hour later, still winded from her latest exertions. Collapsed on top of her, the blonde growled against her neck but said nothing else; he was still caught up in the throes of his climax, joined intimately with her and more than content to remain so as he spent himself within her slick, clenching passage. His hands clutched her waist as tightly as she had locked her legs around his hips, and when he recovered enough to think coherently, he nipped her punishingly on the shoulder. She let out an indignant half yelp in response.

"You don't hate me," he corrected huskily. "You love me."

He took such great satisfaction in reminding her of her love for him that Haru was beginning to think that she didn't need to say it to him quite so often after all. God knew that he was announcing it often enough for the both of them. Bemusedly, the brunette decided that their roles certainly felt a bit upside down; she was supposed to be the one to constantly remind him of her love and devotion, but judging by how things were turning out, it was now he who appeared quite keen to remind her that she loved him—as if she would ever forget.

Haru did not deny his correction. "Well, then, I will love you even more if we go down to the beach later," she tried to wheedle an agreement out of him. What kind of honeymoon would this be if the groom was constantly lurking in the shadows when the bride wanted nothing more than to play amongst the inviting waters with her new husband?

He grunted.

"Your negotiating skills are sorely lacking," he told her point blank, and she gave him a small scowl.

Haru gave him a reprimanding poke in the shoulder, and then she started to draw light, restless lines on his flesh with the tip of her index finger. "I was thinking along the lines that we have never done it outside before," she told him almost shyly, and he lifted his head to stare at her. His bride was definitely looking quite fetching at the moment, and although he didn't understand how she was still able to blush after all the things that they had done together already, his body was quickly reacting to the soft, sweetly vulnerable expression on her face. That doe-eyed look of hers never failed to bring out the ravenous wolf in him, and as always, it made him want to devour her in the most pleasurable way. This time was no different.

Still, as enticing as the lure she was dangling before him was, she was about to be in for a surprise if she thought that she could change his mind so easily. He stroked the smooth skin of her waist absently with his fingers, grinning inwardly at the way she all but relaxed under him, luxuriating in his touch with unabashed delight.

"So, even you have those types of fantasies," he commented with sly amusement, watching from behind his long fringe as she reddened slightly. "I never knew that you had an exhibitionist streak hidden in you."

True to his expectations, she looked slightly mortified by his silky remark, and then she started to sputter in a rather adorable manner.

"It's not like that!" she denied quickly. "We are on a private island - there will be no one around to see- and- and they always made it sound so romantic in the novels-"

Haru cut herself off abruptly, a fierce tint of red flagging her cheeks when she realized what she had just revealed. He watched her with a growing grin and a raised brow—not that she could see the latter, but still,—and the fact that he had her trapped right under him meant that he could read the expression on her face like an open book.

It wasn't difficult to discern the reason behind her embarrassment—her inner romantic was slowly revealing itself and she was feeling especially self conscious under his arched scrutiny, and for good reason. The man she married was not exactly well known for his romantic nature, nor was he particularly sensitive and anywhere near thoughtful either. If anything, those previously mentioned examples were more like antonyms of his character than anything else. He was brusque, straight to the point, and never seemed to give a damn when it came to the feelings of others, and knowing him like she did, his idea of a romantic date most probably involved him, her, any convenient, flat, vertical surface, and sex. _Lots_ of sex.

Not that she minded his amorous behavior towards her at all, but it made her wonder just what he thought of this slightly needy, tender-hearted side of her that she had tried not to let show too frequently to him.

Contrary to what she believed, he was not completely oblivious _and_ she was extremely bad at keeping certain emotional aspects of herself under wraps, no matter how she thought she tried. Her guileless character and inability to mask her emotions ensured that she would have made a terrible spy and/or strategist, but at the same time, it also assured the edgy, wary predator in him that there would never be any hidden agendas, deceptive artifices, deadly subterfuges from her. She was unflinching loyal and devoted once her trust was secured, and in a treacherous world of the Mafia and also amongst the ranks of high nobility, she was definitely worth her weight in gold. With her, the powerful but highly distrustful assassin in him could lower his guard and relax without the worry that she would attempt to do him harm—and she presented an attractive offer that he could not resist.

He was well aware of her loving, affectionate nature of course, and although she did not seem to realize it yet, he very much welcomed her growing attachment to him, encouraged it in his own way, even. Her secret worry that he might eventually feel suffocated by her affection was an unfounded one—to him, she was a rare commodity that he could not seem to get enough of; what was a common complaint of some fortunate husbands and boyfriends most definitely did not apply to him in this instance. Growing up parentless and with a horde of relatives most willing to see him dead so as to seize his birthright, he had been raised an orphan, albeit a highly privileged one, and taught only to survive through power, cunning and combat for as long as he could remember. With the exception of his connection to the Varia, his servants, and Alaisdair, there were no others that he was remotely close to and his bride was the first woman he formed such intimate bonds with.

The fact that he was actually loved by her—someone who was so different from himself—made something within him flare with a sense of fierce pleasure that felt completely different from the wild, unstable feeling that he would get whenever he satisfied his bloodlust, and needless to say, Belphegor enjoyed this foreign, liberating sensation very much. As such, he was quite intent to make sure that he would get to keep Haru's love, and in order to do so, he was certainly agreeable with the notion for her to form deeper attachments to him. Her dependence on him for her emotional wellbeing would feed and nurture his own in return, and it was a win-win situation for them both no matter how Belphegor saw it.

She was still looking quite adorably awkward and embarrassed by her own unplanned admission though, which was rather amusing since she was trying to look at anywhere but at him and not succeeding very well at it since he was so physically close to her. They were both naked and still intimately joined to each other from their previous lovemaking session, but that did not seem to register to her sensitive feelings at all. The sweet vulnerability that was so blatantly displayed on her face pleased him very much, not because he wanted nothing more than to hurt her whenever he could, but because it showed that he had the ability to affect her so deeply—just as she had dug her claws into him and would not be letting go anytime soon, he, too, had his own ways to tie her firmly down to him. In a different situation, he would have teased her mercilessly for this silly bit of information that she had so unwittingly divulged, but he was in such a cheerful, content mood now that he decided to let it go this time.

So, he merely gave her a small, knowing look and asked her in a considerably level tone—for him, that was.

"How is having sex on the beach considered romantic?"

He sounded genuinely curious to know, and barely managed to disguise the amusement in his tone. She shot him a suspicious stare, but as usual, he was so good at masking his emotions that she could not visually detect any signs that he was making fun of her, though she had her suspicions.

She colored something fierce at his question and chose not to answer him, apparently too embarrassed to carry on with the topic any longer. This was definitely not the outcome that she had expected when she brought up this conversation.

Unfortunately for her, Bel was not willing to let it go now that she had piqued his interest and amusement. When she took too long to reply, he lowered his head and nipped her reproachfully on the shoulder once more. She yelped in protest, and he pulled back slightly, a small smirk on his face. At least someone was enjoying himself, she thought grumpily.

"Answer me, woman," he demanded, mild teasing leaking into his voice. She scowled at him.

"That hurt, Bel!" she scolded. "What's with you and biting me? I already bear all sorts of marks on my body thanks to you."

If anything, the smirk on his face widened to form a cocky leer. "I didn't hear you complaining when I was putting them on you. And don't change the topic," he ordered.

She shot him a dirty look, well aware that he was as persistent as a dog with a bone whenever he wanted his way, and that there was really no escaping his curiosity once he wanted it indulged, the spoilt brat. And why did she even have to be so ridiculously shy and hesitant when it came to what she felt, Haru thought, growing quite righteously disgruntled. They were married for better or for worse and if he was so keen to know what she thought, then she might as well let him have it.

"Well, I have always thought that making love on the beach would be quite a romantic and exciting experience," she admitted in a quick mutter. "There's something about the clear waters and the white sands, not to mention the breathtaking scenery…" she trailed off and shot him a suspicious stare then. "Are you laughing at me?"

The brunette sounded downright indignant, especially when she had to raise her voice to be heard above her husband's chuckles of mirth. He didn't have to laugh so loud and so long, she thought irritably, and she pinched him peevishly on the arm for his inconsideration, not that he seemed to notice at all, the pig.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, a flush of embarrassment creeping up over her cheeks once more. She was beginning to look quite ruffled and cutely huffy, though at last his chortles subsided somewhat. She was still so unbelievably innocent and naive even after all the time spent in his corruptive presence, and there was still much to learn about her that he hadn't fully uncovered yet. If anything else, he was only barely scratching the surface and if this instance was an example, he quite looked forward to married life.

Although the blonde never cared to be on the receiving end of feigned, practiced coyness from females, he could tell that hers was purely genuine and besides, she had nothing to gain from doing this, nothing but being on the receiving end of his laughter, of course.

Not for the first time, the Prince was once again charmed by his bride. Feeling indulgently affectionate, he nuzzled his nose against the side of her face, rich laughter spilling from his lips. She stirred faintly in discontentment, somewhat touchy but still she did not turn away from him.

"My little sparrow," he murmured, radiating blatant amusement. A wicked grin started to spread across his lips and there and then, Haru quickly found her disgruntlement fading away at that boyish, almost vulpine expression on his face. She was suddenly filled with the most compulsive urge to kiss him instead. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

It took her awhile for her besotted wits to decipher what he had just said. She blinked and frowned slightly.

"It's not stupid," she protested immediately, only to be cut off by him.

"Of course it is. Those ridiculous books are completely wrong. After all," he reasoned silkily, eyeing her with pure masculine smugness. "Do you really think you will have the time to admire the scenery when we have sex?"

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Less than a few hours later, a somewhat piqued Belphegor was contemplating his current circumstances as he gingerly picked his way down the sandy beach after his happy wife who was frolicking excitedly in front of him like some hyperactive spaniel. If only she could be just as easily brought to heel, he thought a bit peevishly. The blonde wasn't quite sure how he had ended up caving in to Haru's insistent request (it must have been the time when she had her lips wrapped tightly around his erect length and refused to let him come until he had agreed to her demands, the manipulative little minx. God knew that he would have had agreed to jump off a cliff or sign off his entire fortune to her if she had asked it of him in that situation.) but here he was, tagging grudgingly after her like the disgruntled husband that he was.

Belphegor was certainly feeling quite cheated and aggrieved, that was for sure. Using sex to subdue his protests was not exactly the fairest thing to do, and just when he had done a completely good job shooting down her idea of having sex on the beach (just think of all the sand getting lodged in the most uncomfortable places!), she had turned around and easily stolen away his victory with nothing more than the sinful pressure of her delicious little mouth as well as the wiggle of her nude body.

It would take years for Belphegor to admit it, decades even, but he was definitely whipped, and by a mere slip of a woman who didn't even know how to properly defend herself.

"Stop pouting, Bel!" Her cheerful voice had floated up to him then. If anything, his scowl became even more ferocious. How the hell was she still so energetic after the amount of sex that they had been having, he would never know. She fairly danced up to him, apparently in a terribly good mood, her soft brown eyes alit with curiosity and an unhidden appreciation for her pristine surroundings. "Come on, don't be such a sore loser," she coaxed, coming up to his side to walk beside him. He shot her a dirty look.

"Who's the sore loser, you sly little wench," he muttered irritably. Of course he could have chosen not to honor the agreement that he had been forced to make under _severe duress_, but once he had taken one look at the swimsuit that she was wearing, he had immediately changed his mind. Whipped, he was definitely whipped.

It didn't help matters that she had chosen to wear a rather revealing fiery orange bikini, though in her defense, she had covered the bottom half of the provocative two piece suit with a dramatic, slinky dark green sarong wrapped around her shapely hips. Still, he was taking no chances, and like every possessive, hot blooded male in the animal kingdom, was completely intent on making sure that no one would dare challenge his claim on his chosen female, especially not when she had the most scandalous notion to package herself up in such delectable wrappings and insisted on prancing around the island like some wild pagan goddess.

It took less than a week, but it seemed that already Belphegor was quickly picking up the finer nuances of his husbandly duties, outraged modesty, disapproving spousal proprietary and all. Being married was certainly no walk in the park like he had first thought it would be. While no one could have accused (bachelor) Belphegor of being modest and conservative when he could hardly care less about the state of attire or lack thereof of the women who used to hang onto his arm, boy, the view of the world through the eyes of a married man sure was quite different. Never mind that Haru wasn't exactly the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid his eyes on, but his oblivious little wife was still quite pretty even by his lofty standards and god knew that she could be so irritably sweet and disarmingly charming that no male could stand a chance against her special brand of attraction. Look at him as an example; if he, the infamous assassin Prince had been unwittingly reeled in and landed by her (though the attraction clearly went both ways, if he might so smugly add), then it was for certain that no mere mortal man could withstand the lure of her magnetic personality.

Hadn't he read somewhere that Cleopatra was no great beauty either, but still she had managed to captivate powerful men like Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar?

Not that Haru was ugly; she possessed a youthful, fresh faced beauty and a rare kind of untainted innocence that made her appear younger than her age and sometimes made him feel embarrassingly as if he was robbing the cradle, but her body was definitely all woman. She wasn't the most buxom or voluptuous female he had ever encountered, but she was willowy and slender, soft and supple in all the right places, irresistibly warm and—

Great, now he was waxing lyrical about her physical attributes. If he wasn't careful he would one day find himself writing sonnets about the brightness of her eyes or mooning over the shape of her perfect earlobes or something equally ridiculous.

That thought was enough to horrify Belphegor into a temporary standstill. His transition from bachelor to husband was definitely a bumpy one, and the not-so-meek and not-so-obliging nature of his wife was not helping matters any. At least it was a good thing that Haru was typically not the type to flounce around in revealing clothes and seductive demeanors, or she would really drive him up the wall with mad possessiveness. He had never really thought himself to be a prude, but the notion of his wife and lover revealing too much skin than what was modestly acceptable was enough to prompt him to react like an outraged maiden aunt. As it was, he was barely resisting the urge to wrap her round and round with a bed sheet to shield her from the gazes of other men until she looked like a spring roll—and they were mostly alone on this private island.

Granted, the need to mark her as his and to keep her all to himself had not developed overnight upon their marriage. If he was perfectly honest with himself, that fierce, niggling feeling had been there even way before he started to consider her as his potential bride, but what had started out small and insignificant in the beginning had promptly snowballed to become an unmanageable monster of gigantic proportions—kind of like a malignant tumor, actually.

Crossly, he thought that _she_ was like a malignant tumor—there was really no getting rid of her once she started to grow on him. He had contracted the terminal illness known as marriage and she was going to be the death of him.

Haru paused beside him and curiously eyed the look on his face. He was scowling so ferociously by now that she had no idea whatsoever what he was thinking at the moment. He acted so peculiar sometimes, she thought with fond exasperation, and today was just another example in the long list of strangeness that made up her husband. He had thrown a tantrum not unlike that of a child, had dug his heels in and tried his damnedest not to give into her persuasions to come out to the beach when all she had wanted was for him to enjoy the place and see the beauty of the island just like she had. It was not her proudest moment to outmaneuver his dratted stubbornness with sex, but she didn't quite understand why he was so adamant not to go outside ("Well, gee, woman, it's not as if it's hot like hell out there, is it?") and his annoyed protests just sounded like excuses to her and so she completely disregarded them. Not for the first time, the thought that he was such a pampered brat flittered through her mind.

Really, judging from the way he was carrying on, one would think that he was convinced she was planning to drown him amongst the gentle surf or something.

"Bel?" she asked. "Why are you stopping? We are almost there. See that cabana? Mortigor had anticipated that you wouldn't appreciate being under the sun for too long and had it set up for us."

Trust the stoic butler to know each of Belphegor's various quirks like the back of his own hand, and had made the appropriate arrangements to see to all of his master's needs. If Belphegor preferred to be in shade, then they would very gladly blot out the sun for His Royal Highness. Haru shook her head inwardly. She wasn't exactly sure how they were able to have everything prepared and readied within a few short days, but it was done all the same, swiftly and efficiently as usual.

Belphegor muttered grumpily under his breath and started to move again then, and it didn't take them long to reach the generously sized, sturdy looking structure.

The charming looking gazebo cabana was obviously recently built and exuded sultry, tropical welcome with its gauzy, flowing white curtains that fluttered gently with the sea breeze. The cabana was made from long, solid strips of polished wood panels that gleamed a rich, dark hue under the late afternoon sunlight. A large cream, rectangular hand woven throw rug was spread over the raised platform of the shelter, and sitting right in the middle of it was a low slung, luxurious white sofa bed, spread out invitingly and surrounded by enticing platters of beautifully arranged finger food and chilled drinks.

Haru's eyes all but lit up at the gourmet display before her. She quickly ventured into the cabana ahead of her husband and flopped unceremoniously on the sofa. He followed her in at a more sedate pace, too well used to such luxuries to bat an eye over it. Besides, he was still too cranky to appreciate anything, and it was really hot as hell out here.

"This is amazing," she declared, patting the cotton surface of the sofa bed and looking quite satisfied with its springiness. The view before the cabana was simply spectacular; the deep blue of the sea stretched as far as the eyes could see. The food that was spread around the bed looked quite enticingly delicious too, and she could not wait to sample all of them. "Shall we eat something first?"

She took a brief moment to look at Belphegor and was immediately hard pressed not to smile. Despite the lighter intensity of the late afternoon sun, her poor husband was still beginning to flush pink from the heat and he did not look at all amused by the weather. It was partly his own fault though, having insisted on wearing his Varia issue black pants and a sleeved shirt that almost covered him from neck to toe like some conservative prude, and it didn't help matters that he was glowering at her like one on the entire walk there. Just looking at his attire made her feel very warm, so she could just imagine how hot he was feeling right now. She had no idea why he was so insistent on covering up, he was certainly no wilting wallflower when it came to his appearance, so it was definitely quite mysterious, not to mention unbearably uncomfortable…

At least he had foregone wearing those thigh high leather boots of his, and had opted to walk barefooted with her. Or rather, he stomped after her barefooted, to be more precise. Haru had to hide her growing smile. He was so…strangely adorable like that. He was definitely sulking, but he was here beside her all the same and that was enough to make her feel quite happy. The brunette sidled closer to her huffy husband the moment he took a seat beside her on the sofa bed, and then she gave him a sunny smile.

"So what do you want to eat? The cook has prepared so much food!" she exclaimed, her eyes drifting over the various dishes scattered around them, lingering especially on the desserts. She was certainly quite upbeat and cheerful, but he felt like being a wet blanket and just snorted under his breath. The blonde leaned back and lounged lazily amongst the wide expanse of the sofa bed. He had to admit that the situation wasn't as bad as he had expected it to be; this shelter was more than adequate, though of course there was no air conditioning and the weather was still quite warm and humid despite the constant sea breeze.

"Do whatever you want," he muttered, stretching his lanky body out over the bed, looking for all the world like he was going to settle for a nap and ignore her. He was obviously still sore over being made to come out. Situations like this were definitely not what he was used to, but for her he was making the adjustments, however reluctantly.

Haru's brow furrowed slightly at his less than enthusiastic reply; this was not the outcome she had wanted when she had coaxed him down to the beach with her.

"Are you going to sulk all day long?" she asked at last. Her voice was still level and he could not detect any hint of upset in the inflections of her speech, but that could change anytime. He did not reply, well aware that he was hanging on to his temper by a thread and close to yelling at her for asking the obvious, so he chose to keep his mouth firmly shut. He closed his eyes and turned away from her, missing the way she bit her lips and started to look a bit sad. He would have hardly cared even if he did; he was inordinately angry with her _and_ himself at the moment. He had always hated to be forced to do what he didn't want to, and this time around, he was furious with her for forcing his hand and furious with himself for actually going along with it.

He could feel the soft surface on his left sink slightly from her weight as she lay down beside him. He could feel the weight of her gaze on him, no doubt disappointed and reproachful. He thought to himself that if she dared to whine or pout or complain, he swore he would lose his temper completely and lash out at that ungrateful chit, most probably saying something that he would surely regret later.

But she was far from ungrateful, and the brush of her lips against his chin was soft and tender, almost apologetic but not quite. She had nothing to apologize for, had only wanted him to experience the same wonder and exquisiteness that she saw in this beautiful present that he had given her.

"You are angry," she murmured in a more subdued manner, and although he did not confirm her remark, he did not pull away from her either. Also, his body language remained unyielding and belligerent, and at last, she sighed softly and backed off. "Well, I'm going to eat now. You can join me when you feel more like it."

She left him to his own devices, slightly put out by his behavior but quickly felt her mood recover somewhat when she looked at the pleasing array of dishes spread before her. There was nothing quite like a wonderful meal to set the world to rights again, and she wished that Belphegor would eventually learn to live and let live. It didn't look particularly comfortable or even healthy to her, to be stewing in anger all the time. Still, she knew better than to try to coax him out of his temper when he was feeling so particularly foul. He needed time and space to calm down and she knew that he would—eventually.

And so meanwhile, she remained by his side and started to explore the dishes instead, innocent pleasure glowing on her face as she grabbed an empty plate and started to transfer different types of food that she was keen to sample. The fruit salad with freshly peeled shrimps was particularly delicious, and the tiny little sandwiches with avocado slides, cheese and bacon were downright yummy as well. The Mediterranean platter as well as the roast beef canapés were exquisitely prepared and all but melted in her mouth, and for dessert, she enjoyed pretty little shot glasses of tiramisu, mango mousse as well as strawberry shortcake. Haru felt contentedly stuffed by the time she was done with her mini feeding frenzy, and she glanced over at Bel only to see that he had actually fallen asleep whilst fuming, the silly man. His breathing was deep and steady as he laid sprawled on the sofa bed, and as usual, he looked so unguarded and boyish that Haru promptly felt an unbidden rush of affection flood through her entire being for this man.

She refrained from waking him though, pleased enough to stay quietly by his side as she sipped her dessert wine and looked out to the mesmerizing blue of the sea. It were still a couple of hours before the sun would fully set and the weather right now was just perfect to frolic and play amongst the crystal clear waters, but Haru realized that she was strangely reluctant to leave her husband's side. It was no fun to play on the beach alone, after all, and she had originally had a vague plan to spend the afternoon skinny dipping with Belphegor, being playful and teasing with her husband. It would have been a good plan seeing that the only time they had swam together was when he had thrown her into the freezing waters of the River Arno in the midst of autumn, and that had _not_ been a memorable experience at all. Then, they would make slow, languid love to while away the rest of the lazy afternoon…but that was moot point now, judging by his bad mood and the fact that he was currently sleeping so soundly on the sofa bed.

Haru was mildly disappointed by how this beach outing was turning out so far, but she quickly decided to just make the best out of it. If Belphegor could come here with her against his will and wishes (though not very happy about it), then she could very well compromise and be happy with what she had so far. She had an inkling that it wasn't the fact that he hadn't gotten his way that had made his mood so foul, but the fact that it had cost him a significant amount of his pride to turn his back on his own principles just to give in to her whims. This might seem like such an insignificant matter for those who did not know him well, but she knew the full extent of what he had conceded to her, and therefore she could not find it in her heart to be angry with him—even if he was acting like an ass.

Haru quietly set down the now empty wine glass on the floor, feeling more than a bit drowsy and content now that she was full and the weather was so nice. She crawled up beside Belphegor's sleeping form and slipped his arm over her. She lay on her side facing him and dropped a silent kiss on his shoulder. Sound sleeper that he was, he didn't even stir. The brunette pressed her face into the side of his arm and closed her eyes, the gentle music of the crashing waves in the distance a soothing lullaby to her ears. She relaxed.

She was fast asleep within moments.

_

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Aha, I know you guys are probably itching to yell at me for this late update (again), but I really hope that you will have the heart to forgive me for not keeping my promise this time. I'm aware that whatever I say now will sound terribly like lame excuses, so I will not attempt to explain myself this time and just ask for your forgiveness instead. Believe it or not, the next chapter will be up within two weeks, but I guess you people will have to wait till then to see if it is really true.

To the faithful readers, I am so very sorry for keeping your hopes up and then failing to fulfill them. I can't promise that this won't happen again, but I intend to try my best to make sure that things like these won't happen as often at least.

Don't worry, the slow updates do not mean that I have lost interest in the KHR fandom as well as the BelHaru pairing; it's just that the pesky thing known as real life is intruding in my writing time, but I have definitely not lost my passion for BelHaru. So do expect more chapters to be added to 'Of Sparrows and Princes!'

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Yes, Belphegor is definitely throwing a temper tantrum in this chapter. Just because he is newly married does not mean that he had a personality makeover. He is not going to be all sweet and lovingly gooey towards Haru just because they are now husband and wife—on the contrary, poor Haru is going to have to deal with his irritable moods as our favorite blonde slowly learns how to be a husband. It's a good thing that Sparrow-verse Haru is considerably empathetic and patient (most of the time).

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	39. Chapter 39

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5722

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/02/11

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**Chapter Thirty Nine**

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It was the dratted, persistent sunshine in his face that woke him less than an hour after he had fallen asleep. The warm, glaring heat had transposed itself onto the back of his eyelids and not even his long fringe could block out the unwanted light. Belphegor growled irritably even as he lingered between the threshold of sleep and wakefulness, inwardly reminding himself to give the servant responsible for keeping his drapes close hell for allowing the sun to disturb his rest. Then he squinted against the streaming light and saw the wooden structure of the cabana around him, not to mention the gauzy white curtains that were doing everything but fucking keeping the sunlight out, and promptly recalled the events that had transpired in the past few hours.

Annoyance quickly filtered back into his senses; the last thing he remembered before he nodded off was how aggravated he had been over the whole situation while his wife was apparently still in enough of a good mood to tuck into a late lunch. He had fallen asleep fuming silently beside her (exactly like a huffy husband) but of course she hadn't noticed at all, judging by the busy way she had been stuffing her face, and he had no doubt that the darned wife was at the moment happily frolicking amongst the surf like a damn dolphin now that she had her way, not-so-ceremoniously dumping him here where he remained to play and splash around the beach under the fucking cheerful sun.

How he hated this detestable weather. He must not have been thinking straight when he had decided to buy this infernal property. The real estate agent had pulled a fast one when he'd said that he would own paradise on earth. Hmmph, it was more like purgatory on earth. If he had known that this was the outcome, he would have bought an island somewhere else, preferably far up in the North Pole. The land would have been a lot cheaper for one, and not hot as hell for another. His vexing wife could frolic with the penguins and the polar bears and all the other various wildlife for all she wanted. He'd like to see how she'd splash amongst the sub-zero waters then.

He was rambling in his thoughts, and before he could get even more disgruntled and pin all the blame squarely on the shoulders of his inconsiderate wife (again), said wife stirred slightly at his side, snuggling down with a soft exhalation of contentment and promptly alerting him to her unexpected presence beside him. The golden-haired Prince started and then turned to stare at the small heap of femininity tucked against him in concealed surprise. It didn't take him long to understand the significance of her position beside him.

She had been going on and on about wanting to play and swim in the beautiful, sparkling waters that surrounded the island home he had bought her, and had pulled all sorts of tricks just to get him out here with her. As much as he hated to admit it, she had succeeded in her evil plan to melt him under the merciless rays of the sun in the end, but the fact that she was not out there enjoying herself but over here meekly dozing beside him told him something—

His stomach complained with hunger then, sharply reminding him that he hadn't had his noon meal yet. The blonde stretched and slowly sat up, jostling Haru in the process. She stirred a bit in reaction but did not wake up. It was easy to maneuver himself out from under her, but he chose grudgingly to cushion her head on his lap instead. She slept soundly, her hand clutching lightly onto the fabric of his pants near her face, and seeing his ring on her finger quickly made him less irritable. It also helped that the weather had improved markedly from earlier, no longer as warm and unbearably humid.

Belphegor ran his fingers through his hair before shaking the unruly strands out with fading disgruntlement, his exasperated gaze fixed on his wife. If she had just wanted to sleep, they could have done that in the manor, in the privacy and comfort of their bedchambers. She was really too trusting for her own good, curled into him like a child even though he had to admit that she was hardly dressed like one. She still only wore the bikini and sarong wrap from earlier, only that the wrap had slipped open sometime during her nap and was revealing a smooth expanse of her slender thigh and the rest of her leg. The gentle, sleek glide of her calf and the dainty arch of her small feet drew his attention and looked surprisingly erotic, and just like that, his lust for her was promptly whetted and renewed.

But first, food.

The fallen Prince peered lazily over the edge of the sofa bed to examine the leftovers that had survived in the wake of Haru's frenzied feeding (it was not nice to liken the wife's eating habits to that of a great white shark, but then again, he had never been one to do nice) and was promptly surprised to see that she had actually set aside a plate of food for him. And it had to be no one but her, for there was no way Mortigor or his cook would arrange the hors d'oeuvres in the outline of a _heart shaped smiley face_. He had stared (in disbelief) at the goofy pattern staring back at him for a good long while, though it hadn't taken him as long to understand that the monstrosity he was looking at was her attempt at a peace offering. It was nauseatingly cute and sweet of course, and he responded to it instinctively.

The blonde took the plate of food as well as its accompanying cutleries and promptly started to maim it.

Of course, he ate it all after the mini mutilation/stab session; she had thoughtfully removed all the things that he hated (like the disgusting cilantro, parsley and bell peppers) and unlike her attempt at decorating his food (he didn't know what was wrong with those crazy Japanese but food should _never_ be cute), he was quite appreciative of her attentive efforts all the same. Discounting his personal staff, she was most likely the only one who had willingly gone through the trouble of learning his likes and dislikes, though to her, it was a labor of love that she was all too willing to perform.

Belphegor scowled slightly at her innocently sleeping form. She had the most annoying way of making him feel insignificant and unworthy without even doing anything much to him, and this time was no different. Admittedly, he acted like a spoilt, tantrum throwing individual most of the time, but that was his birthright and privilege, and besides, he hardly cared what the others thought of his outrageous behavior. She could make him feel differently though; he was never one for guilt trips but she could effortlessly send him first class all the way. The patient, gentle expression in her eyes told him that she truly believed that he could be more than what he was right now, and no one had ever looked at him quite the same way that she had. Her pull on him was infuriating—and at the same time downright humbling.

She was slowly but surely taming him with love, but at the same time, there was also no denying her increasing attachment to him, something which he quite rightfully expected since they were now married, after all.

The blonde leaned down slightly and snagged a shot glass of chocolate truffle mousse from the silver tray on the floor together with a dessert spoon. He scooped a small amount of it into his mouth but it quickly proved to be just a bit too sweet for his tastes. Haru would love it though, as evidenced by the three empty dessert glasses stacked together with the rest of the dirty dishes. He suddenly had the notion to wake her up with the chocolate mousse, and he proceeded to do so by lazily waving the glass before her face, watching with amused apathy as her small, slender nose started to twitch faintly like that of an inquisitive squirrel's at the sweet, delicious smell. She tried to resist the call back to wakefulness though, wrinkling her nose and trying to turn her face against the fabric of his pants to hide from the mouthwatering scent, but he did not give her the chance to do so.

Belphegor dipped his index finger into the soft, rich chocolaty goodness and smeared the mousse across her soft, peony pink lips. Sure enough, her little tongue eventually came out to taste the delicious cream, unable to resist the sweetness. Her eyes started to flutter open, revealing her soft brown eyes, still groggy from sleep. She appeared mildly confused by her current position of lying on his lap, and he had schooled his features such that she could hardly tell what he was thinking at the moment. Haru licked her lips again, tasting the chocolate mousse with no small amount of bewilderment.

"Bel?" she called out, voice soft and husky from sleep. "Wha- ummph-"

Before she could ask what was going on, he scooped out more of the rich creamy goodness and promptly slipped them between her parted lips, fingers and all, effectively shutting her up. She could tell that he was in a strange mood, and that he was watching her intently. He didn't seem to be angry any longer, but he wasn't exactly back to normal either, and his long fringe made it difficult for her to read his current mood. Haru wanted to figure out what was bugging him now, but she quickly became distracted by the decadent chocolate cream melting on her tongue, not to mention that he had his index and middle fingers in her mouth at the moment.

Tentatively, she swallowed, and he could see her slender, pale throat ripple delicately as she watched him searchingly with those large, inquisitive doe eyes. Then, as if she had seen something that put her at ease again, she relaxed completely in his grasp, her eyes lowering, her long lashes concealing her thoughts from view. Her hand came up around his wrist, holding on to him, but she did not attempt to remove his fingers from her mouth. If anything, her tongue started to move lazily against his fingers, languorously licking away all the chocolate that still coated his digits in a delicate, catlike manner. She sucked gently at his digits, her soft, wet tongue gliding sinfully over his skin, and she appeared utterly concentrated on her task. When all the mousse cream was gone, she slowly, lovingly drew his hand back, allowing his dampened fingers to slide partially out from between her full lips. She kissed the tips of his fingers softly, and then at last she let him go, raising her darkened gaze to meet his.

It was erotic as hell.

Belphegor responded accordingly. One moment, she was lying on his lap, looking at him with calm and feminine contentment reflected in her eyes, and the next, he had dragged her off to lie on the sofa bed instead, the half eaten chocolate mousse falling to the rug with a dull, muffled thud, all but forgotten. He crawled over her promptly to catch her mouth in a fiery kiss, and she snaked her arms around his neck, tilting her face up to him to grant him full access. Their mouths met quickly, lips parted, tongues meeting eagerly; he could taste the chocolate on her, but this time around, he did not mind the sweetness of it, especially when combined with her unique flavor. Hungry for more, he deepened the kiss, pressing her deeper onto the bed, lowering his weight on top of her, caging her in with his body.

If he had still been angry earlier, it was obviously all forgotten by now.

As always, she was hyperaware of his every movement, fine goosebumps erupting over her skin as his warm fingers ghosted over her slender torso, his addictive mouth sucking insistently at hers even as he was tugging hard at the bindings of her bikini top. Haru squirmed under him and wrapped her legs around his waist, boldly bringing herself even closer to him. She felt so hot and bothered, and suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to get him naked as well, to be able to rub herself against him, skin on skin. She unlocked her arms from his neck just as he finally managed to tear the skimpy piece of swimwear from her body, and yelped slightly in protest when he tossed the top over his shoulder and right out of the cabana.

"Bel, that's-!" She didn't have the opportunity to say anything more as he recaptured her lips with his, his fingers gripping firmly onto her chin, tipping her face up to his so that he could devour her in the most pleasant way ever. She groaned throatily when he chewed carnally on her lower lip, stretching out under him like a cat even as she clawed at his shirt in an unspoken demand for him to take it off. She kissed him back ferociously, her mouth open, tongue actively pursuing his, her hands slipping restlessly under the hem of his shirt, her nails lightly scouring his sleek, toned stomach and chest. He growled with pleasure, his free hand busy working on loosening the knot that secured the wrap around her hips. It took but a moment for him to unwrap the offending material, leaving her wearing only the bottoms of her bikini.

His mouth left hers then, and straddling her hips, he pulled back from her slightly as she tugged at his shirt, helping him pull it over his head and drop it on the ground beside the sofa bed. She struggled to sit up, her hands flying to the zipper of his pants, her fingers fumbling to free him quickly from the confines of his clothes even as she massaged his stiff length through the fabric. He groaned when she started to kiss his chest restlessly, her mouth sucking hard on his pectorals, her wet, warm tongue flicking against his fevered flesh, occasionally marking him teasingly with her small, even teeth. Her little actions were easily making him even more aroused than he already was, and when she finally succeeded in undoing his pants, Haru trembled with anticipation when she finally got to touch the velvet steel that was his erection.

The throbbing heat of him was branded onto her palm in the most arousing manner, and the brunette could feel her breathing quicken with growing excitement. She curled her fingers around his hardened flesh snugly and started to pump her fist enthusiastically, and hovering predatorily over her, her husband hung his head over hers, jaw clenched, beads of perspiration beginning to form on his temples, blatantly enjoying the sensations that she wrought on his body. His hips jerked in response to her tender ministrations, and he reached for her breasts, roughly fondling the soft curves of her womanly flesh, rolling and pinching her budding, sensitive nipples between his fingers and eliciting small gasps from her lips. She was flushed and all but squirming with pleasure, the area between her legs slick with moisture and pulsing with an insistent ache that could not be relieved even when she squeezed her thighs together.

He pushed her suddenly back down on the bed then, forcing her to release him in surprise. Swiftly, he grabbed the sarong that she wore earlier and wrapped it nimbly around her wrists, effectively incapacitating her movements. He made her hold on to the ends of the material and then stretched her arms taut above her head, much to her bewilderment.

"Don't move," he ordered in a hard, lustful rasp, and she stilled, staring back at him with an aroused, passion glazed expression. He sat back on his heels to take a proper look at her; lying sprawled on her back, the unnatural placement of her arms made her body arch in a most sexually pleasing manner, bringing attention to the thrust of her small, pert breasts and her slender torso. Seeing her bound and helpless like this excited him greatly, and the obedient way in which she heeded his demand pleased and aroused him further. An idea to pleasure her came to mind, and he smiled sharply.

The golden-haired Prince leaned over his wife. He nuzzled her cheek with utmost gentleness, but pulled back and nipped at her chin almost punishingly when she tried to brush her mouth against his. She moaned softly as he played with her breasts, squeezing and massaging the milky, rounded flesh with his nimble hands. She clenched her fists into the material of the sarong, and he hissed his next command into her ear.

"Close your eyes."

Haru followed his directive instinctively, squeezing her eyes shut, and he promptly rewarded her efforts by ripping off her bikini bottom and probing his fingers into the wet, slick folds of her nether regions. Her hips surged against his hand and she panted harshly, his name a small prayer on her lips even as the sarong went taut in her hold. He pushed two fingers into her and her pelvic muscles clamped down on him immediately, and he pistoned his digits vigorously in and out of her tight, hungry body.

"Good girl," he purred roughly into her ear, licking at her earlobe and making her tremble with growing lust. "Don't open your eyes, don't let go of the cloth, and I will make it worth your while, is that clear?"

She nodded, quickly catching on to his little game. She was so painfully aroused that the evidences of her desire was all but dripping from between her legs, and she wanted more. So much more.

She whined softly in protest when he removed his hand from the intimate part of her body, his fingers slick and sticky from her excitement. He smirked and shushed her, kissing and nibbling on the side of her neck to placate her temporarily. Once she quieted, he raised his head and brought his hand to his mouth, tasting her from one of his dampened digits. She was bittersweet and tangy on his tongue, the scent of her that teased his nose musky and arousing, an exotic flavor that he quickly decided that he liked very much. The assassin Prince proceeded to lick his hand clean of her fluids, then commenced with the next stage of his teasing, his smirk widening at the needy, almost frustrated look that crept onto her face.

Haru thought that she was going to go out of her mind with impatience as she waited for Bel to do _something _to her. She was tempted to open her eyes to peek but knew better than to do so. With her arms bound and her sight impaired, she felt so hyperaware of her surroundings. It was as if the rest of her senses were making up for her lack of visibility and restricted movements; she could acutely feel the sea breeze caressing her nude, sensitized body and her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Her whole being was screaming to be touched by her lover—her breasts positively ached for his attention and she wanted nothing more than for him to settle between her legs and take her hard and fast. What was he doing to her?

There was a muffled clinking sound followed by the sloshing of liquid then, something that one might hear from a bottle. Haru stilled, straining her ears hard to listen, wondering what Bel was up to. There was something very thrilling about her current predicament and she shivered with anticipation. She could feel his movements but could not see what he was doing, and that only added to the heightened sense of awareness that tingled at the core of her consciousness. His body brushed against hers as he reached for her, and when he caught her lips with his in a sensual, open mouthed kiss, Haru was completely taken aback by the dessert wine that trickled into her mouth from his. She swallowed the sweet, icy cold_ Tokaji Aszú_ instinctively, her tongue brushing eagerly against his for more of the tantalizing nectar, deepening the kiss with her usual irresistible, enthusiastic spontaneity, and a fleeting thought occurred to him that he could be drunk off her alone if she let him.

"Don't open your eyes," he warned once more in a low murmur against her lips, and she moaned quietly in assent, too busy dropping small, amorous kisses on his mouth to say anything else. She was so unreservedly affectionate and he could not seem to get enough of her. The blonde took hold of the bottle of dessert wine that he had drunk from earlier and lightly, teasingly trailed the bottom edge of the cooled glass between the valley of her breasts. She nearly leapt out of her skin at the unexpected temperature and started to tremble helplessly when she next felt a few precious drops of cold liquid being poured on her chest before being quickly, deftly, licked away by what was most undoubtedly a warm, agile tongue. The conflicting sensation felt surprisingly good and _very_ arousing, and once again, Haru had to squeeze her legs together to ease the painful hunger that was growing to near unbearable proportions.

He chuckled softly at her response, and then he sipped another mouthful of wine. Carefully retaining the chilled liquor in his mouth, he lowered his head and latched onto one of her pink nipples, deliberately brushing his rough tongue against the tender flesh of her areola even as he awashed the sensitive anatomy with the cold wine. He suckled her hard. She reacted immediately. A sharp gasp-like moan escaped her lips as she arched beautifully into his mouth, her toes curling uncontrollably, her nails digging hard into the cloth that bound her wrists, the expression on her face an erotic mask of carnal rapture. The combined sensation of the hot, insistent suction of his mouth and the iced wine was simply _indescribable_. Haru could feel herself growing rapidly wet with desire, the warm rush of slickness between her legs increasingly difficult to ignore.

"Oh, Bel," she chanted his name softly, her voice breathless, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. "Bel, Bel, Bel."

He swallowed the wine eventually, the intoxicating alcohol tasting more delicious than anything that he had ever drunk.

"So fucking sweet," he whispered against her chest, his hand ghosting lovingly over the addictive curves. She shook under him, every inch of her body acutely attuned to his smallest touch. She was so tempted to look at him, to free herself from her bonds to touch him, but she knew that if she did so, the game would be over, and for now at least, Haru wanted badly for it to continue. He was planting little love bites all over her breasts, the bottle of expensive dessert wine still in hand, and slowly, leisurely moving southwards. He licked and kissed his way down to her pale, sleek belly, and he proceeded to spend an ungodly amount of time lavishing his attention on her willowy form, much to her pleasure and frustration.

The anticipation was almost too hard to bear for Haru, though she received a temporary reprieve when he reached up and kissed her heatedly once more, fuelling her lust for him and at the same time feeding more of the sweet alcohol into her. She kissed him back eagerly, sucking at his mouth with wholehearted zeal and passion, simply inflamed by his touches and downright reluctant to break the kiss. He moved away eventually though, much to her groan of disappointment, but not before she could taste the grin on his lips.

The blonde found himself extremely turned on by his wife. It was not a difficult thing to do, especially when she always responded so earnestly to him. At the moment, he could hardly recall—nor did he care about—the reason why he had been so upset with her earlier. Every bit of his attention was now entirely focused on her; she had always been the most alluring woman to him when caught in the throes of passion, and this time was no different. She was so beautiful lying there nude against the white surface of the sofa bed, and he was filled with the desire to pleasure her as she had always did him. So he kissed her once more, quick and hard, before pulling away. She squirmed against him, a small sound of protest rising from her throat at his desertion.

"Stay still," he told her huskily, and then he poured the rest of the _Tokaji_ down her pubis. She drew in a sharp intake of breath as the cold liquid touched her body, and he quickly discarded the bottle and turned his attention on her. He wasted no time pushing her legs apart and settling between them, and Haru barely had time to register what was going on when he bent over, placed his mouth over her drenched entrance and shoved his tongue into her body.

Her eyes popped open with shock and she squealed his name.

"Bel!" she squeaked, stunned by his action. He had never done something like this in the entirety of their sexual relationship and she had never expected that he would do it now, not to mention that it was terribly embarrassing—

Ooooooohhhhh.

He moved his tongue against the tight walls of her inner passage then, an insistent in and out motion, his mouth kissing the sensitive folds of her body, moist with the heady combination of her arousal and sweet wine. Haru's mind promptly went blank, her protests dying on her lips, her eyes fluttering shut once more. Oh god. Ohgodohgodohgod. Her husband's head was between her thighs, his mouth kissing her most private place, and _it felt so good_. The brunette tossed her head to the side, her mouth opened as she gave a loud, startled mew of pleasure, her hips rising quickly of their own volition to meet the hot pressure of his mouth. He slurped and drank in her nectar with greedy fervor. The taste of her seared his tongue, the heady scent of her arousal lingering in his nose, and he wanted nothing more than to drink her dry. She was making the most encouraging sounds from her throat and the way her body reacted to his ministrations told him easily that she was enjoying what he was doing to her. Her pelvic muscles rippled helplessly with each thrust of his tongue into her convulsing passage, and her fingers were clenching so tightly onto the sarong that it was a miracle that it was still in one piece.

He could not seem to get enough of her; his lips found their way around her blood filled clitoris and he sucked hard at the nerve-filled little bud even as his nimble, agile tongue continued to work its magic on her swollen vulva. Then he stabbed two fingers into her tight channel and it was enough to drive Haru right over the edge. She stiffened and went taut, her slender, nubile body curved like a bow as the crest of her orgasm slammed into her with the force of a freight train. She screamed his name in ecstasy.

Belphegor reacted quickly. He moved away from her whilst she was still caught in the throes of her climax and dragged her roughly to her knees. She was disoriented and lust hazed from the powerful orgasm that he had just gifted her and was slightly wobbly as he pushed her down on her hands and knees on the bed. The cloth that bound her wrists together was not helping matters much, but before she could fret over it, he mounted her swiftly, aligned his throbbing erection against her weeping entrance and pushed into her with a strong surge of his hips. A small wheezing moan escaped her parted lips at his abrupt invasion, and her slick, still twitching inner walls quickly enveloped his member with hungry eagerness, wrapping tightly around him even as she instinctively bucked against him, taking as much of him as her body would allow.

He growled loudly at the exquisite, mind numbing sensation of her body devouring every inch of his erect length, and quickly started to move against her. He licked his lips and pinned her down onto the bed, his hands tightly clutching at her narrow waist. He could taste the essence of her on his tongue still, and that thought made him grow even harder than ever. He was so painfully aroused by the little vixen currently trying her best to move in concert with his urgent, almost bruising, thrusts, rubbing her soft, rounded bottom against his loins and making those sexy, encouraging sounds from the back of her throat as she answered his raging passion with her own. He rocked his hips against hers hard, the loud, erotic slaps of their lovemaking ringing in his ears and spurring him on. She cried out and lost her balance, allowing the bed to fully support the upper half of her body while she pushed her hips into the air as he continued his frenzied pace. He wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her even closer to him, at the same time, his hand slid to her front and dipped into the moist secret between her legs, locating her clitoris once more and rubbing her little pearl in tandem to his hard and fast strokes.

She came quickly once more, and this time around, she turned her face into the bed, muffling her sharp cry of fulfillment. He continued to pump himself into her vigorously even as she contracted hard around him, forcing his erection in and out of her trembling body, adrenaline rushing through his veins, his lean, wiry body driven by an instinct as old as Time. He was very near; he could feel the way his body was tensing in preparation for what was to come next, and when he finally orgasmed, a loud snarl of carnal satisfaction ripped from his throat even as he jerked and thrust hard into her one last time. Arching, he spilled himself within her, quick throbbing bursts of tiny little sperms that quickly made their speedy swim into the safe haven of her body.

He kept her on her knees for the longest time, his golden head bowed over her bare shoulder, their breathing loud and harsh as they slowly recovered from the strain of their sexual activity. She was still held firmly in place by him although she was starting to feel sleepy and exhausted from this latest lovemaking session, and after he could breathe properly again, he pulled out of her and dragged her back down to bed with him, collapsing in a tired tangle of limbs and bodies onto the soft surface. She turned to him immediately, freeing herself from her cloth restraints and reaching for him, draping herself over his chest like a boneless feline, dropping sleepy kisses on his lips and jaw and chin. Her sweet, satisfied response told him that she had enjoyed this newest variation in their lovemaking, and he turned his face into the side of her neck and nuzzled her lazily in return.

"You liked that, huh," he muttered against her skin, the 'that' referring to the little game that they had just played. She nodded slowly, stretching over him in a sated, languid manner.

"Mmmmm, I liked it very much," she told him almost shyly, ducking her head to brush her nose affectionately against his jaw line. She masked a small yawn against his neck then, betraying her satisfied exhaustion; evidently, staying up for the past few nights making love had tuckered her out. Haru made a small grimace as she curled up against her husband; she was sticky from the wine that he had poured all over her as well as from the results of their messy sexual activity, as was he, but quickly decided that they could always take a shower later. She was rather comfortable where she was right now, basking in the post coital afterglow, and judging by how Belphegor was slipping his arm around her waist to anchor her to him, he was most likely feeling the same way as well.

Haru closed her eyes, intent on taking a brief nap before the sun set and they had to head back into the manor. The day's trip had not turned out exactly like she had hoped—she hadn't even gotten to swim in the warm, inviting water yet—but the brunette decided that she could not complain. She sighed softly with contentment and prepared to settle down to rest, though before she could do that, he nudged her for her attention.

"Hmm?" she sounded like she was about to nod off anytime soon, but he could not resist this opportunity to make his point.

"So, how was the scenery just now?" he asked her, light, sardonic amusement filtering into his voice.

It took her a few seconds longer than usual to comprehend what he was talking about. Then her face turned an incredible shade of red. For a brief moment, she looked like she wanted to burst into a loud flurry of protests at his teasing of her, but she calmed down and subsided in the end. He had been right, after all, though she wished that he didn't have to rub it in her face.

"You know I was too preoccupied to even look at the scenery," she mumbled at last, thoroughly embarrassed by her silly romantic's notion. However, she seemed to pull herself visibly together eventually, her gaze softening as she gave him a gentle look. There was no mistaking the tenderness reflected in her eyes, and he found himself reluctantly mesmerized by her once again.

"You know that you have always been all I could see."

_

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_

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! A bit of idyllic honeymoon bliss for our newlywed couple to enjoy, but for those who were getting bored of all the rampant lovey doveyness going on (or as lovey dovey as Belphegor is likely to get), don't worry, things will be picking up again soon! I just thought that it would be nice for Haru to enjoy a relatively normal honeymoon for once, what with all the outrageous things that Belphegor always subject her to, the poor woman.

…and of course, our favorite Storm Prince is bound and determined to give her an unforgettable experience , complete with overly amorous husband and all!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	40. Chapter 40

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5541

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/03/11

**

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**

**Chapter Forty**

* * *

One week into the honeymoon vacation, trouble came looking for the newlywed couple.

Actually, Alaisdair found them first. The elegant, dark-haired Archduke had arrived on Haru's island on a privately chartered jet, but unfortunately, he came bearing bad news.

Belphegor started frowning irritably the very moment he laid eyes on his steward. It was a conditioned reflex, for time and experience had taught him that nothing good ever came out from being in close proximity to Alaisdair. In the latter's defense, it wasn't the man himself who caused the problems and headaches for Belphegor, but rather, the Royal Council that the retainer represented, that plagued the blonde with their incessant demands and ridiculous requests and made his life so trying. Alaisdair just happened to always be the bearer of bad news, and it was rather unfortunate that Belphegor wasn't above shooting the messenger (figuratively, of course) when he got irritated enough.

"What are you doing here so soon?" the Storm Varia Commander demanded to know the moment the Archduke was within hearing range. Sitting beside him and contentedly nursing a cup of tea was Haru, and she gave the older male a small smile of greeting. They were all gathered in one of the tearooms of the manor, having been waiting for the dark-haired aristocrat the moment news of his arrival reached them.

Alaisdair executed a slight bow towards the blonde and his Consort, hardly even batting an eyelash at the look of annoyance on his liege's expression. "Good afternoon, Your Highnesses." The look on his face was one of grim indifference, if that was even a way to describe him. One glance at the other aristocrat's stark features and Belphegor could already guess what the other man was here for.

Haru looked subtly between her husband and his retainer and knew that they were about to talk politics. She carefully set her teacup on the coffee table and started to stand up.

"I think I will take a walk around the garden while the two of you have your discussion," she told Belphegor only for the blonde to reach out and pull her back down on the sofa. The brunette stared at him in surprise.

"You can stay," he answered her unspoken question. "You are the wife of the Crown Prince now; where do you think you are going?"

Alaisdair nodded in agreement, and then he sat himself on the adjacent armchair from the couple. "Please remain as you are, Princess Consort. Belphegor is right; you do not have to take yourself off on my account. Besides, what I'm about to say next concerns you as well."

Curiosity piqued, Haru quietly resettled herself on her seat. Belphegor leaned back and crossed his arms, returning his attention to Alaisdair.

"I take it that the Council was simply overjoyed and bursting with goodwill and well wishes at the news of my marriage?" he enquired archly. His handsome, dark-haired cousin gave him an acerbically amused look.

"Are you awake or still dreaming, Prince?" the older man murmured in answer, nodding subtly at Mortigor in appreciation when the butler came into the room to pour him a cup of coffee before silently retreating with swift efficiency. The Archduke dropped two cubes of white sugar into his coffee before he addressed the royal couple. "The resulting fallout was not as bad as I had expected, worst case, but it's almost there. The objections to your impulsive act were rather vocal, and I assure you that there were quite a few offended parties when they realized just who you married."

Or rather, how scandalized the House of Nobles had been when they understood that their Crown Prince had gone and gotten himself hitched to a foreign nobody. A Japanese member of the Vongola Famiglia at that! Was that damn Mafia clan ever going to stop blighting them?

Belphegor did not look particularly surprised. Haru looked between the two men once more, having not expected the seriousness of the conversation. She had no idea that her elopement with her husband was that important news that his contemporaries back in his country had to hold a meeting to discuss it, but then again, Belphegor didn't like to talk about his homeland often, so it wasn't like Haru knew very much about the customs and traditional practices that were still being held there.

Alaisdair continued. "As promised, I managed to block off all their attempts to legally separate the two of you. The amount of protest and calls for the annulment of this marriage were astounding." He gave them a speculative look. "A marriage which, by the way, has already been thoroughly consummated, I hope."

Haru blushed slightly in response, whereas Belphegor rolled his eyes.

"Just what did you think we were doing over here, juggling coconuts?" the blonde muttered. Alaisdair arched his brow at his younger cousin but chose not to comment on his remark.

"A yes or no reply will suffice; I have no need to be intimately acquainted with your mating rituals, Your Highness."

Belphegor twitched at Alaisdair's dry remark and started to look as if he wanted to reach over to throttle the other male, but Haru quickly intervened. What was with men and the collective need to regress to the age of three when put together?

"Ah, Alaisdair-san, there will not be any annulment of this marriage," the brunette replied swiftly in a roundabout manner, hoping to head off any conflict before it could begin. She succeeded—barely. It was quite a trying period for Belphegor—he hadn't gotten to maim or kill anyone for the last fortnight or so and Alaisdair was really pushing his luck.

Thankfully enough, Alaisdair decided to back off. He nodded once, settling into the armchair and crossing his legs at the knee.

"Good. One less thing to worry about."

"One less thing?" Haru asked hesitantly, swiftly catching on to what the older man was not saying. Belphegor muttered expletives under his breath.

Alaisdair looked at the royal couple. Both had contrastingly different expressions on their faces. Haru was staring at him with innocent expectation as she awaited his reply whereas her husband was already scowling ferociously, the latter because he had already more or less guessed the reaction and countermoves that his wily opponents were going to implement in reaction to his marriage. Belphegor wasn't lauded as a genius for no reason, after all, and unlike Haru, he was very well aware of what tricks his fellow countrymen were capable of.

"Well, Princess, I'm afraid to say that I only managed to block the Council from denouncing you as Belphegor's rightful wife."

All it took was some careful paper shuffling and ensuring that all the necessary documents had gone through the correct channels and had been properly processed before they were found out, but of course that had taken some time and skill. The rest after that, unfortunately, would not be as easy to accomplish. For one, the next few months were going to be extremely trying for Haru, the woman whom their Prince had deemed worthy enough to marry.

Haru didn't understand, of course. She was not familiar with the political climate of their country and she had no way of knowing just what she had gotten herself into when she had agreed to marry her lover. She was about to find out, though.

"He means that you may be my Consort, but the Royal Council will not acknowledge you as Queen even when I succeed the throne," Belphegor explained bluntly, not beating around the bush as usual.

Haru blinked.

"Oh," she could only utter lamely in response. The two men watched her closely for her reaction, but if they were expecting her to be upset, then they were in for a shock. Haru bit her lower lip and carefully mulled through what she had just been told before she turned her head to regard Belphegor. "But no matter what, I am still your wife, aren't I?"

The blonde nodded once and Haru visibly relaxed. "In that case, the title doesn't matter to me," she told them at last, and damn if she didn't sound like she meant it too.

Alaisdair exchanged a muted look with Belphegor, his brow silently raised. Interestingly enough, the blonde didn't look like he was very surprised by her reply, though he wasn't exactly pleased by the Council's snubbing of his wife's relatively humble background. Alaisdair regarded Haru once more.

"You really don't mind, Haru?" he asked in confirmation. Haru nodded without hesitation.

"I didn't marry Belphegor for his title," she explained matter-of-factly. Coming from someone else's mouth, it would have sounded downright cheesy and clichéd. But Haru wasn't speaking from denial; she was comfortable and confident of her own feelings and therefore she had nothing to prove. This was what she really believed in and besides, from what she had gleaned from Belphegor's irritableness whenever it came to dealing with his country's affairs, she wasn't quite sure that she wanted to be that involved in the royal scheme of things.

She said nothing else after that one simple sentence, but then again, she really didn't have to. It was plain to see that she radiated calm contentment where she was sitting tucked beside her husband; there was simply no hint of resentment or upset to be found on her soft, dainty features, though Alaisdair could not claim the same for Belphegor. The blonde was quietly simmering away, but Haru distracted him by absently placing her hand on his knee and rubbing his leg. Her calming effect on Belphegor's edgy, volatile temper was undeniable; if only those elders could see the service that this mere slip of a woman was doing for all of them, then Alaisdair decided that they would be thanking her on their knees, instead of trying to ostracize her before they even got to know her.

"I'm afraid that's not all," the dark-haired aristocrat murmured. "It seems that I have sorely underestimated the allure of your hefty bank account and royal bloodline, Belphegor."

"Quit hedging around, for fuck's sake," the golden-haired Crown Prince in question snapped, bristling with irritation. "Just spit everything out. What are they planning now?"

The Archduke straightened slightly, his expression becoming slightly cool and formal.

"They are pushing to invoke the Bloodline Restoration Act under your name."

One simple sentence, and it was enough to reduce Belphegor into a ball of fury and an unending stream of snarled curses and blasphemies. Whereas Haru had no idea whatsoever what Alaisdair was talking about, it appeared that Belphegor had a very good idea just what was going on. "Those meddling vultures! Fucking sons of whores! Do I look like some fucking stud animal-" he spat out furiously amongst some even more adverse swearwords. Haru flinched slightly at the increasingly uncouth words that were pouring out from her husband's potty mouth, but Alaisdair was not done yet.

"Also, the Council has agreed that if there is no heir conceived by the end of one year, then the Crown Prince is fully expected to dissolve this marriage on grounds of infertility."

Belphegor's cussing increased in volume and frequency at this newest piece of information, whereas Haru gawked at the dark-haired Archduke in shock.

"A-are they even allowed to do that?" she stammered out in disbelief, and much to her increasing incredulity—and anxiety, Alaisdair nodded curtly.

"I did not want to bring up this topic so early into your marriage to Belphegor, but you need to understand that your husband does not just belong to himself. And neither do you, from the very moment you became married to him."

"The hell I don't belong to myself!" the blonde in question snapped out furiously then, only to be promptly ignored by his older cousin. Alaisdair focused his attention completely on Haru, his sharp, piercing gaze centered only on the pretty Japanese woman.

"The Royal family and all its members are living, breathing representations of our country's national heritage. Throughout the centuries, those in Belphegor's family line has continuously served as invaluable leaders for our small kingdom, and as Crown Prince and future King, Belphegor has a clear responsibility and obligation towards the nation that he is not allowed to shirk. He is the last of his line, the avatar of our country, and no matter what, that line cannot be allowed to die out. Just like his predecessors have unfailingly led the kingdom into prosperity, his descendants are expected to eventually take over the mantle and do the same. No other ruling clans will do; we are still a country heavily steeped in tradition and superstition, and most of the noble families will only accept those with the most concentrated Royal blood on the throne; that is, Belphegor and all descending from his family line."

"But as of this moment, Belphegor is the sole existing member of the Royal family, so you can see why the Royal Council is so nervous over the situation. Should anything untoward happen to the Crown Prince right now, our country will be effectively plunged into a state of emergency. And the elders can foresee a lot of things that could go wrong, especially with the notoriously reckless way of living that Belphegor has adopted. That is why the existence of heirs is so important. In the event of Belphegor's untimely death, the Royal family tree will not be truncated."

Something told Haru that she would not like where the conversation was heading. With Alaisdair's brief explanation, she quickly understood the reason behind the Council's one year ultimatum for her to quickly bear a child with Belphegor or be separated from her husband, but what was that first condition that had made Belphegor so angered?

"What is this Bloodline Restoration Act about, then?" Haru asked, slightly bewildered.

The Archduke decided not to beat around the bush.

"It is a legal statute that allows the last male of a dying clan to beget more children as quickly as possible," the dark-haired male explained. When Haru still did not look like she completely understood what that meant, Alaisdair continued more bluntly.

"The Royal Council is openly pushing for Belphegor to take multiple wives."

* * *

Haru could hardly believe her ears.

_Take…multiple wives? She was expected to share her husband with other women?_

Was this a joke?

"No, Princess Consort, I do not make such jests." Distantly, the brunette had no idea that she had spoken out aloud until Alaisdair answered her question in an all too serious manner. Haru found that she had to lean back against the couch for support. She was rendered speechless, her mouth opening to utter something, but words failed her. Haru could not believe that they actually expected her to just passively agree to allow Belphegor to…_procreate_ with other women, and once the initial shock wore off, Haru quickly found herself very upset.

If she had been initially neutral towards this Royal Council, then she was quickly finding reasons to dislike the entire group as a whole. A slow, simmering anger started to flow within her, heating up the cold dullness that she had felt in the pit of her stomach when she realized what was going on. Anger felt good, Haru thought as her usually open, friendly gaze turned hard with indignation and ire, her body tensing with agitation and fury.

Belphegor quickly found himself the recipient of a truly ferocious glare from his upset wife, and her accusing stare made his hackles stand straight up.

"Don't look at me like that," he snapped, irritated by the hurt that showed so blatantly in those damn expressive eyes of hers. "I didn't ask for this."

"No," she muttered somewhat caustically in agreement. "But it isn't as if you are going to be very eager to turn down this opportunity, right."

Something raw and throbbing and _very_ angry within her flared with ugly, sour jealousy at the notion of Belphegor being intimate with other women. The thought of him making love to other females the same way he always did to her made her chest squeeze painfully with distress, and following right on the heels of her emotional pain came a tidal wave of rage that hit her so hard that she had to dig her fingernails into her palms to quell her rising fury. If just thinking of her husband sleeping with other woman could make her feel such despair and anger, then Haru could not imagine just how it would feel if her thoughts ever became reality.

She was becoming increasingly upset and her eyes were starting to burn from the effort to keep her tears from showing. The unhappier she felt, the stiffer her spine went, and it wasn't difficult to see that she was becoming quite agitated. It really didn't take her all that long to develop a fierce headache from all the sudden stress and emotional turmoil as well, and Haru knew that she needed to think things through, especially when the two men were looking at her as if expecting her to nonchalantly respond to this bombshell that had been dropped on her.

Haru started to stand up abruptly, her mouth already open to manufacture some excuse that would allow her to temporarily retreat from this situation. Before she could even say a word, however, Belphegor's hand shot out and his fingers manacled her wrist, unceremoniously hauling her back beside him. The blonde caught his retainer's eyes and gestured at the door with a sharp jerk of his head.

"Get out of here," he told Alaisdair curtly. "I need to speak to Haru in private."

The Archduke swiftly acquiesced to his Prince's demand in light of the look of distress that was so poorly hidden on the Princess Consort's face. He left the room silently and shut the door behind him, and only then did Belphegor release his hold on his wife. He studied her pale, stark features in silence, his lips flattening with displeasure as he looked at the quivering, barely held together mess in front of him.

"Is this how you choose to react then?" he demanded cuttingly, slicing through the strained silence like one of his razor sharp scalpels. "You are just going to stick your head back into your shell like a goddamn fucking tortoise and feign ignorance?"

His harsh words stung like a whip, and his own anger at the situation leaked into his hard tone. She did not flinch at his acidic, barbed sentences, though she started to glare at him for his insensitivity. This was one occasion where she could not tolerate his temper and offensive demeanor at all.

The fire leapt into her eyes, fierce and unyielding. It was a much preferred sight compared to her earlier downtrodden reaction.

"Of course not," she snapped back, her voice strained as she fought the urge to yell at him. "How can I pretend not to know anything? I'm going to have to share my husband with other women; is that something that can be easily forgotten?"

She was easily as agitated as he was if not even more, and speaking of this unbelievable scenario just lent an undeniable ring of finality to the situation. Tears started to fill her eyes, blatant indication of the degree of her upset, though she angrily swiped them away with the back of her hands before the crystalline droplets could roll down her cheeks, trying so hard to control her turbulent emotions. And to think that she had woken up this morning convinced that today would be a good day.

She felt like such an idiot now. So this was what Alaisdair meant when he asked whether she minded if she would not become Belphegor's Queen. But how could he expect her to not mind if she had to watch someone else stand beside the man she loved while she herself stood by the sidelines? That was simply unthinkable for her to accomplish—she was not _that_ selfless and self-sacrificing—and beyond the hurt, it made her very, very angry to think that those Council members had actually expected that she would meekly accept something like that.

Meanwhile, Belphegor was not at all impressed by his wife's tears. In fact, the sight of her dampened features and reddened eyes only made him feel like killing someone with his bare hands, most preferably the bunch of meddling old bastards who just would not die and save him from the pain of their controlling, interfering ways. He was also quite angry with Haru; her immediate response upon hearing the news had been to walk away from him (granted, she might have just wanted to leave briefly to recollect her thoughts but he was not entirely buying it), and he had reacted adversely to her instinctive withdrawal.

He sneered. "So this is how much your 'love' is worth. At the first sign of trouble, you bail like rats off a sinking ship, huh?"

He might as well have lit dynamite under her tail and be done with. Her eyes flared with ire, and before she could control herself, her hand lashed out and she grabbed him by the collar. Haru closed the distance between them quickly and barely restrained the urge to strangle her idiot husband. As usual, he was proving to be marvelously adept in chasing all her sadness away—and promptly replacing it with ire.

"You need to shut up before I do it for you," she snarled, sounding downright mean, a murderous glint in her eyes as she glared pure fire back at him, and to his credit, he did not react outwardly to her fierce temper, never mind that this was the first time that he had seen her _so mad_. Belphegor kept his expression blank, staring coolly back at her, and unconsciously she tightened her hold on him. Strangely enough, touching him produced the unexpected side effect of centering her, and effectively grounded her more flighty emotions. She was still panicky, feeling inferior and more than a little anxious over the polygamy issue, but Haru knew for a fact that she would never let him go—and most definitely not without a damned fight.

She scrambled to right herself and threw her leg over his lap, sitting herself right on top of him. Then she drew her face right up to his and gave him a hard stare.

"Who said that I'm bailing ship?" she demanded roughly, stung and insulted by his mistaken observation. She gave him an angry, insistent shake, almost as if she had every intention of knocking all the ridiculous notions right out of his blonde head. Then she pinned him hard to back of the sofa, leaning her entire weight into him, her usually gentle brown eyes smoldering with anger and feminine possessiveness.

"You belong to me, Belphegor. _You are made for me alone,_" she declared for the first time ever with resolute ferocity, and to mark her territory, she lowered her head and smashed her lips against his none too gently, branding him as hers through the sheer hunger of her kiss. Her soft lips moved fiercely and self-assuredly against his; this was not the usual sweet gesture of affection that she would press almost shyly against his mouth when there was no one looking, this time around she was intent on staking her claim and making a statement.

Her mouth moved hot and insistently against his, her lips parted, her tongue rubbing aggressively against the seam of his mouth and it felt as if she wanted nothing more than to swallow him whole. She plastered herself against him and dominated the kiss, biting and sucking hard at his mouth, so close that he could only breath and touch and taste and see and hear only her. She kept pushing and pushing assertively, forcefully invading his space and person until it felt as if he was being surrounded by nothing but her, and _he let her_.

As Belphegor was quickly beginning to find out, a rough, aggressive Haru was _a huge turn on_.

She had never been quite this ferocious and forceful before; she was usually sweetly passive in nature and more than willing to let him take the lead, but it seemed that the hovering threat of someone else moving in on her territory—him—was more than enough to prick her pushier, assertive side out of hiding and into taking some proprietary action instead. She kissed him with wild, passionate vehemence, as if she was trying to imprint herself on his very being, and the sinuous, arousing way she rubbed her body against him was akin to a sleek, angry feline marking its property and warning off all potential rivals.

She hadn't even done anything else; he was already growing so fucking hard from her attitude alone.

"_Mine_. You are all mine," she muttered harshly and breathlessly against his mouth, her lips clinging sensually to his in the aftermath of an intense, drugging kiss. He could not suppress the groan that made its way out of his mouth. "I will _never_ let you go."

The utter vehemence in her husky voice sent a thrill of excitement down his spine as well as even more blood pumping straight to his loins. He had never cared to be fought over like a toy by overly possessive lovers who mistakenly thought that they had a right to him, but she was quickly proving to be an exception to that rule. Interestingly enough, her jealous possessiveness over him sent a deep thrum of satisfaction rippling through his entire being, and it also helped that he was very aroused by her dominant behavior, so much so that he didn't even mind taking the backseat temporarily and giving her free reign to attack him sexually. In fact, he quite welcomed and looked forward to her assault.

She was straddling his lap and his hands came up to her waist to pull her closer. He wanted to ground his erection into her softness, at the same time pulling them both down so that they could continue this sweet punishment in a more comfortable position, but before he could do it, she dug her nails into his skin warningly and pushed him hard against the back of the sofa. He growled throatily and stopped, backing off, ceding control to her. Her fingers were wrapped firmly around his neck as she swooped in for another fierce, carnal kiss and he throbbed with unapologetic lust for her. He strained against her, tongues dueling wetly with each other, the hot suction of his mouth and the sensual, addictive friction of his lips eliciting a deep purr of satisfaction from her. Sitting astride of him, she could control the depth and duration of their kiss easily, though when she pulled back from him, he attempted to follow, unwilling to separate from her. She squeezed his neck subtly to push him back and drew away quickly to look at him, panting slightly from their sexual interlude.

Gone was the cool anger on his face, replaced by heat and hungry need, focused purely on her. Haru suppressed a shiver of longing at his burning, intent stare, her slender hands slipping up the sides of his face to frame his sharp, angular features with utmost tenderness, filled with so much raw desire for her that she could not help but respond instinctively to it.

Unbidden, the thought that she would have to share this side of him with other women quickly filled her with a renewed, primal urge to defend what was hers.

"I won't share you," she told him straight out, jealousy rampant in her flashing eyes. She looked mulish and unyielding and downright prepared to fight him over this matter, almost as if she had already expected that he would protest her demand.

Before she could do anything else though, he swiftly reversed their positions, putting himself in a more dominant and advantageous arrangement than the earlier one. She shrieked in surprise as he lifted her easily off him and all but threw her down onto the horizontal surface of the sofa before lunging over her, his larger hands manacling her wrists on both sides of her head when she tried to fight him off. His lean, wiry form settled over her like they were made for each other, and then he ducked his head to capture her lips with his, kissing her hard and eagerly the way he had wanted to from the very beginning.

She struggled fruitlessly against him, trying to curb her body's automatic response to its soul mate but with little success. He did not allow her to pull away or withdraw from him, and plundered her mouth with a voracious, single minded intent to drive them both crazy with need. Just like that, her walls of anger crumbled feebly at his fierce, unceasing assault. She arched her hips into his with a helpless moan, tears springing to her eyes even as she wrapped herself around him and started to kiss him back hungrily; how could she deny him? Even if it broke her heart, she just wanted nothing more than to stay by his side.

"Tell me what you want me to do," he spoke roughly then, breaking the kiss, his lips moving against her mouth. She closed her eyes and tried to evade the question, but he refused to let her retreat. She was shuddering from the force of her upset, the tears flowing swiftly and silently down her cheeks even as she pressed her face against his neck and nuzzled him with blind affection. She loved him, so, so very much. She was very upset, and wanted nothing more than to submerge herself within his embrace that she found such great comfort in. She stilled quickly in surprise when she felt him lean down and lick her tears away, sipping the salty, bitter liquid from her skin. Her eyes flew open and immediately, she saw him hovering over her, staring hard at her.

"Tell me," he insisted once more in a hiss, and her eyes welled over with emotions once again. Her fingers clenched unconsciously into the sleeve of his shirt, and Haru didn't care that it would make her selfish and thoughtless for his country, but this was the one thing in the world that she absolutely refused to compromise on. Even though there would be countless opposition, she would still try to keep him for herself any way she could.

"_Don't_," she whispered softly, her voice trembling but heartfelt. Her wet doe brown eyes pierced his with utmost solemnity and pain. "Don't marry anyone else but me."

For a long moment, he did not speak. She knew that she was asking for a lot given the tenacity and powerful influence of those who had a say in Belphegor's lifestyle, but she would still do it all the same. He was too important for her to do anything other than to put her true feelings on the line.

There was no false pride or blustering embarrassment in her gaze—she lay completely vulnerable before him, stripped bare of any and all defensive mechanisms that would have allowed her to at least preserve some of her dignity and conceal the intensely personal emotions that showed so blatantly on her face. Her distinct lack of subterfuge and coy artifice told him more than her softly uttered, insecure words did, easily showed him just where he stood in the list of priorities in her life—and it was quite high up that list. That pleased him very much, and a strangely contented, comfortable feeling thoroughly warmed the vicinity of his chest. She had always looked at him in a way that no others had quite managed to emulate before; in her eyes, he felt like the most important person in the world and he was intoxicated by that feeling. Not for the first time, he realized the power she had over him; she could make him feel so powerful and insignificant at the same time, and he was completely mesmerized by her.

The silly woman; she should have known by now that he only had eyes for her. Those other women, imagined or otherwise, would not be able to hold a candle to her sweet allure.

Haru quickly felt hurt grab at her heart when her husband started to chuckle softly. Was this his response then? A cruel put down after she had swallowed her pride and poured her heart out to him? Hardly so. Before she could flinch and withdraw from him (she was such a sensitive creature and easily hurt, he thought fondly), the blonde hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his. He proceeded to reel her in and planted a long, lazy kiss on her mouth, taking his time to savor the plump sweetness of her peony pink lips, much to her upset bewilderment. She could taste his smile in the kiss, and when he finally had enough, he pulled back slightly and gifted her with a small, pleased grin.

"My _dearest_," he purred out the endearment in a satisfied rumble. "Your wish is my command."

_

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

My apologies for the slight lateness of this update! I was being a ditz (busy playing Pokemon Black) and completely forgot about putting up this chapter last night, but still I hope that you guys have enjoyed it!

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Uhm, yes, so now we have the first problem that Belphegor and Haru would have to face as a married couple, and it's a rather big one too. Angry!Possessive!Haru was surprisingly easy to write, and of course Belphegor just had to go and further add fuel to her anger, all in the name of testing her, so as to speak. As you can see, Haru had rose up to meet his challenge readily enough, but of course, the upcoming troubles ahead will be the true test for her resolve.

So that's all for now, until next time, people!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	41. Chapter 41

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7483

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/03/11

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**Chapter Forty One**

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When Alaisdair returned to the drawing room, he was admittedly not very surprised to see that the royal couple had kissed and made up in the short amount of time that he was gone. The situation when he had left could have gone either way, but since the pair were literally still in the honeymoon phase, the Archduke was quite certain that all would end well. Besides, it wasn't as if Belphegor would allow his wife of one week to run out on him, especially after all the trouble the younger man had gone through to marry her in the first place.

The dark-haired aristocrat took a seat, reclaimed his somewhat cooled cup of coffee and proceeded to take a small sip, carefully eyeing Belphegor and Haru over the rim of his cup. Gone was the stunned uncertainty and upset insecurity on the brunette's pretty features, instead replaced by a reassured calm that turned somewhat sheepish and chagrinned when Alaisdair caught her gaze. Like earlier, she was tucked securely into her husband's side like a contented, roosting dove, but this time around, her small hand rested gently on the crook of Bel's jacket covered elbow, as if drawing strength from her partner. Belphegor was also no longer as agitated; in fact, the blonde was smiling in his usual maniacal manner and appeared quite relaxed. He also didn't seem to mind or even notice his wife's light touch, something that was rather unexpected since Belphegor had always been rabidly defensive of his private space and had never really condoned intimacy with his past paramours beyond that of a simple fulfillment of lust.

But then again, the woman who sat beside him now was the one he had liked enough to marry, not to mention she had broken enough of his personal rules that Alaisdair really shouldn't be surprised. And of course, there was the added bonus that she could easily put Belphegor at ease and tame his wild bloodlust, though Alaisdair privately thought that Haru was definitely going to need to learn how to control her emotions better if what happened today was of any indication. It was all good and well that she proudly wore her heart on her sleeve when it came to Belphegor, but her expressive ways and guileless nature would make her a very easy target for the Council. Long story short, they would eat her alive, which would of course then prompt her enraged mate to do something rash like trying to maim them in retaliation.

For someone who continuously claimed that he had gotten married out of obligation, Belphegor sure was acting extremely territorial and possessive when it came to his little wife. And as if to support the Archduke's silent observation, Belphegor spoke up then.

"You can tell the Council that I will not condone the Bloodline Restoration Act," the blonde announced. "They can try their damned best to push through the statute, but in the end, they can't make me sign the marriage certificates. I will not wed any of their relatives."

Alaisdair arched his brow slightly, but he was not entirely surprised by the Crown Prince's answer. Still, he felt the need to play devil's advocate, to subtly gauge what the younger man was planning, if he was up to something again. God knew that the blonde had the distinctively annoying tendency to occasionally spring unpleasant surprises of his own to counter that of the House of Nobles, and most of the time, Alaisdair didn't mind, though it would be nice to receive warnings prior to the resulting mayhem, especially when he was the one who usually had to clean up after his master's messes.

"Are you sure, Your Highness? Most men would leap at the chance to take multiple wives." The dark-haired male watched the Prince carefully for his reaction, but if anything, Belphegor only smiled wider.

"I am not most men," he declared in an eerily cheerful manner. In fact, he looked so unnaturally happy that Alaisdair was beginning to wonder just what had occurred in the sparse half an hour that he had briefly left the room. "I'm just a doting husband who doesn't want to upset my wife by turning my attention to other women."

Alaisdair could not help himself; he gave the smug blonde a flat, disbelieving stare. Even Haru turned her head to look at him with a somewhat incredulous expression. In fact, the poor woman actually looked taken aback when her husband continued to smile sweetly at her. If that didn't alert Alaisdair to the fact that Belphegor was definitely up to no good, then nothing else would.

"…Bel?" Haru asked a host of questions in that single query, but the blonde merely cocked his head slightly at her.

"Wasn't it you who boldly declared earlier that you will not share me?" he asked almost amusedly, and immediately, her face flared a soft pink of embarrassment. It was one thing to let Belphegor know that she had blatantly staked her claim on he who held her heart, but Haru was not quite at the level where she could comfortably do the same in front of an audience. Belphegor, on the other hand, did not seem to have the same problem. In fact, the blonde appeared quite pleased by her little jealous episode earlier and wasn't exactly shy to share the experience with his bemused steward.

Unexpected as it seemed, Belphegor was genuinely delighted by today's interesting revelation. It seemed that his normally not-so-confrontational mate (unless her temper was pricked and/or her sense of moral justice was stirred) could and would turn into a fierce, belligerent little tigress when her claim on him was threatened. No other woman had quite dared to throw that particular tantrum at him before, and with good sense since he was unlikely to tolerate such behavior. Therefore it was a downright novel experience for the assassin Prince that she, someone who was so much weaker than him in terms of brute strength and combat abilities, had the gumption to do what no one else had attempted before, all in the name of her love for him.

It was probably the only reason why he had allowed only her to behave towards him with such possessiveness—and he had basked shamelessly under the implications of her attachment to him. Besides, he could hardly accuse her of being petty and jealous when the reverse was easily true for himself as well. If placed in her shoes, if the Council members were ever foolish enough to throw random men her way in a ridiculous attempt to seduce her away from him (not that she would, but he hoped for their sakes that they would not be idiotic enough to try, especially if they planned to live long and prosperous lives), he knew for sure that he would respond with much more violence and ferocity than they thought him capable of.

After all, she belonged to him in all sense of the word, in sickness and in health, till death do they part, and that was one promise that he had no intention of breaking.

At the moment, the woman in question was looking so socially awkward that no one would have believed that she was the one who could bring the violent 'Prince the Ripper' to heel with nothing more than a softly uttered word and a gentle touch. In fact, Haru was feeling somewhat mortified. Blame it on her conventional Asian upbringing if one must, but as much as she wasn't shy to consistently declare her love for him in private, it was a different thing altogether to drag it out to be scrutinized by others. Her love for him, as well as all her resulting responses due to the product of that love, was something private and very precious to her and she didn't quite understand why Belphegor always felt the need to announce it to the whole world.

And of course, there was also the very embarrassing assumption that Alaisdair-san most likely thought her a jealous shrew by now.

Haru reddened some more and gave her unrepentant husband a small frown before his dark-haired cousin interrupted the exchange.

"That's excellent, Your Highness," he murmured dryly. "Now if you can just obey the Princess Consort more often, then I foresee that we will not be getting into as much trouble as we often do." He crossed his legs and gracefully set the teacup back down on its saucer on the coffee table, his glacier blue eyes sharpening. "But enough of idle chitchat. I hope you have a plan on hand if you wish to avoid multiple marriages to women other than Haru. I don't have to remind you that just because you have decided to decline their offer does not mean that they will stop trying."

At that, the disturbingly exuberant smirk on Belphegor's face thinned to one of annoyance and barely-veiled impatience, his earlier amusement quickly fleeing at the mention of the rather pressing problem at hand. Sitting beside him, Haru quickly started to relax at the familiar look of irritation that the golden-haired man was projecting.

"I'd rather marry a school of piranhas," the Storm Varia bit out at last in a deadly growl. "At least those vicious flesh eating animals will have the decency not to spy and backstab at the very first opportunity."

There was no doubt that each of those women whom he would be 'encouraged' to marry would be tasked to monitor and report his every action back to their families, and the last thing he wanted was to open that can of worms right in his household.

"The Council must really think that I'm an idiot," he continued in a peeved mutter, all semblances of cheerfulness gone, "if they believe that dangling multiple women in front of me will convince me to go along with their schemes."

Haru could not help but give voice to her overwhelming curiosity.

"You are really not at all tempted?" she asked dubiously, mild skepticism coloring her tone. What man would turn down the opportunity to practice polygamy?

The blonde rolled his eyes at his disbelieving wife.

"Yes, you caught me," he replied sarcastically. "Because I'd like never ending misery in my life, and it is so difficult to resist the urge to invite a throng of sniping, conniving bitches to live in my household permanently." He scoffed. "If I had to marry those spoilt, petulant heiresses, I'd rather shoot myself dead and be done with. I won't even want to wish the lot of them on my worst enemies."

Haru did not know what to make of the impression that Belphegor was giving her of those women. A brief look at Alaisdair revealed that the Archduke was not refuting his Prince's harsh criticisms, and the brunette wondered just how scary the bride prospects were. Then Belphegor took her mind off that particular train of thoughts with his next remark.

"Besides, group sex is highly overrated," the blonde grumbled irritably in a 'been there, done that, and not impressed' manner. "I get off once but have to toil like a pack mule to give multiple women orgasms. Where is the economy in that?"

Haru gaped briefly at her disgruntled husband, but he just continued to mutter under his breath. She heard words like 'messy,' 'unhygienic,' and 'damn blanket hogs' before she decided that she had heard enough. A small scowl decorated her fine features and then her hold on his elbow tightened in warning. He didn't seem to notice though, and she pinched his forearm. Hard.

He flinched inwardly and promptly transferred his displeasure to her. "What was that for?" She glared back at him, annoyed that he still had the gall to ask her why. Of course she knew that he had a led a hedonistic lifestyle prior to meeting her, had plenty of experiences with other women before he made her his, but he didn't have to rub it in her face!

Sitting across from them, Alaisdair watched the little lovers' spat with barely concealed amusement. For a supposed genius, Belphegor could be astoundingly clueless when it came to the emotional aspect of dealing with women, particularly when it came to his own wife. It would be quite entertaining to see how well the Crown Prince would fare on this steep learning curve.

"I don't want to know anything about your previous conquests," Haru snapped at her husband, bristling slightly with affront. "And I most definitely do not want to hear about your experiences with group sex!"

She was definitely jealous alright, and once Belphegor got over his agitation of being attacked by Haru, he started to smirk. His mouth opened to say something but Alaisdair wisely decided to head him off before his master could dig himself into a deeper hole with Haru. After all, there was still the 'produce an heir before one year is through' clause to deal with, and the Archduke was quite certain that any baby making attempts in the immediate future would end in failure if the blonde insisted on his current path of antagonizing his wife.

"Returning to the main topic at hand," Alaisdair interrupted, giving the squabbling couple a mildly quelling glance. True to his expectations, Haru subsided immediately, whereas Belphegor frowned subtly and reluctantly went back to looking at his cousin. Having seen that he finally had their attention again, Alaisdair continued.

"As I said earlier, you may decline the offers of marriage, but you cannot entirely stop them from trying to convince you otherwise. Once the statute pushes through in a few days' time, you will find yourself courted by quite a few families. That's partially the reason why I'm here; if I'm able to locate your current location without any hints from you, then you can be sure that they will find you just as easily as well."

"They?" Haru asked, alarmed. "Who exactly are 'they' again?"

Alaisdair exchanged a brief look with Belphegor, whose lips were turned down with displeasure, before he answered Haru's question. Neutral, glacier blue eyes met her wide brown ones.

"You won't like the sound of this, Haru, but the Council will be sending their choices of prospective brides over so that they can 'try their luck' with Belphegor, if you will."

Haru seemed like she wasn't sure what to make of that, and her golden-haired husband watched for her reaction intently. She wasn't exactly trying to strangle the blood circulation on his arm, but she was definitely quite tense. When she made no move to offer any input in response to the information given, Alaisdair continued quite seriously.

"I won't lie; the next few months will prove to be quite trying for you, but if you can retain your composure and not allow yourself to be intimidated, then there shouldn't be anything much that they can do to you. My advice will be to not give them the opportunity to undermine your relationship with Belphegor, and at the same time, to try to be above reproach in all matters. I do not wish to stress you unduly, but there will be eyes on you constantly, and the walls have ears, so please watch what you do and say from now on."

If anything, Alaisdair's calmly delivered comments only served to increase Haru's apprehension. Her hold on Belphegor's arm tightened unconsciously and she appeared somewhat alarmed as anxiety beset her. She still said nothing of course, but before the men could point out her distress, a peculiar look crept onto her face—growing resolve—and she slowly squared her shoulders. Haru nodded slightly, not exactly filled with bravado and confidence, but she was no longer shrinking with dismay either.

"I- I get it. I will try not to be an embarrassment to Bel."

The blonde in questioned turned his head sharply to stare at her when he detected the traces of nervousness in her voice, and then he straightened with lazy grace from his earlier indolent lounge on the sofa.

"We will return to the Varia castle ASAP." Belphegor changed the subject with swift surety, making no comment on his wife's uncertainty. "I don't want them to find their way here."

This place was hers after all, despite how he was hardly impressed by the local climate at all, so he highly doubted that she would appreciate the invasion of women hell bent on trying to get married to her husband on the very island that he had gifted her as a wedding present. Besides, there would be added security back in Varia territory; with the other Commanders around, it would be harder for Haru to get into any sort of trouble for prolonged periods of time. He stood up and dragged his startled mate with him as well.

"We leave in three hours' time." Bel's eyes narrowed calculatingly as he rested his gaze on his cousin. "My jet is currently back in Italy, so I will need you to drop us at the Varia airfields."

Alaisdair nodded once in agreement. "Consider it done," the dark-haired male murmured. "I won't be stopping over in Italy for long however; I will return to Astonia and attempt to buy you some more time before the shit hits the fan. As of now, the Council is scrambling for information regarding Her Highness the Princess Consort—don't look so surprised, Haru, I assure you that you have been all that they could mutter about since last week—so I will try to prolong that before their daughters and various female relatives come knocking. Try to make use of the extra time to learn what you can of our country's political climate as well as the different clans that make up the House of Nobles, Haru, to prevent from coming out as ignorant and possibly committing any faux pas before the other aristocrats."

There were a lot of things that needed to be done, but so little time to do it. Haru was beginning to feel the pressure but she nodded all the same. Alaisdair was obviously doing his best to help her, far be it for her to be ungrateful and not fulfill her part as well. She had known from the very beginning that it wouldn't be easy being married to someone like Belphegor, and although she had been thinking more of his personality as a whole when she had made that observation, she was also now being made to quickly adapt to the royal lifestyle that was the birthright of her husband. Haru wasn't quite sure if she was up to the challenge, but she would still try her best anyway.

"I will see to it that she knows all that is needed to know," Belphegor replied. "Just take care of your side of things, Alaisdair. Mortigor, prepare for our departure," the blonde ordered seemingly to thin air, though that proved quickly to not be the case when the door to the drawing room opened slightly to reveal that the stoic butler had been waiting for instructions outside all the while. The middle-aged man inclined his head austerely to acknowledge his master's command.

"As you wish, Your Highness." Mortigor retreated silently.

"We will see you in a few hours' time," Belphegor told his cousin. "I'm sure you can find something to do around here in the meantime."

And with that, he exited the room and tugged Haru out after him as well. The fact that she had not protested his manhandling like she always had was a blatant indication of the inner struggle that was being waged within her as she tried to come to terms with the new set of expectations that were being placed on her shoulders. She remained silent and pensive as she mulled over her new situation even as her husband pulled her down the hallway rather impatiently, though he didn't give her a choice but to focus on him when they reached the bedroom.

Slamming the door shut behind them and locking it, he turned back to her and started to remove her clothes in swift, impatient jerks. His warm, wet mouth latched onto the skin over her slender shoulder even as he quickly stripped her bare, and Haru closed her eyes and wrapped her arms obligingly around his neck, giving him permission to continue. Pleasure and contentment slowly permeated her person, eroding away the earlier tenseness of her body even as a sluggish, lethargic heat started to burn at her very core. She made a small, kittenish sound of satisfaction when he walked them to the bed and laid them both down onto the soft surface, arching languidly against him, her fingers running gently, absently, through his hair. He rumbled with bliss and sank further onto her, his growing erection prodding at her inner thigh, turning his face into the side of her neck, affectionately licking and kissing her soft, sweet smelling skin. They remained that way for awhile.

"Aren't we supposed to be packing?" Haru asked at last, still stroking her husband's silky mane of tousled gold hair, her eyes fixed idly on the ceiling. She wasn't particularly interested in talking about the various issues that would plague them in a few days' time and as it turned out, neither did he.

In answer, his hand moved to the spot between her legs, those long fingers of his lazily probing and sliding against the moist entrance of her snug passage. Her eyes darkened, and her breathing hitched softly. His lips moved lustfully over the gentle hollow of her clavicle, sucking sensually. She parted her thighs even more to grant him further access, and he promptly rewarded her by slowly pistoning his index finger in and out of her sleek depths. She started to tremble.

"Let the servants do that," he told her, his voice thickening with desire. "I just realized that I haven't had you today yet. You owe me a few rounds of wild, mind blowing sex, madam wife."

There were no promises or overt reassurances from him, but there was something about his presence and his unrestrained eagerness to make love to her that simply took all her insecurities away. Haru allowed herself to go with the flow.

"You are turning me into a sex starved nymphomaniac," she chided breathlessly, her voice weakening at the end with pleasure when he did that thing she liked so much with the nimble application of his hand and mouth.

He chuckled against her breast, and then planted a kiss on the soft, silky flesh.

"I can only hope," he retorted, a perverted leer on his face. "I'd keep you chain to my bed, and make you scream my name with pleasure all day long."

It was interesting how he could make her breathing quicken with anticipation, and Haru slowly licked her lips. As expected, his gaze instantly zeroed in on the pink plumpness of her mouth, and her eyes dilated with growing arousal.

"Maybe you should show me," she told him huskily, her fingers reaching up to his face to lightly caress his cheek.

He gave her a feral, roguish smile.

"_With pleasure_."

* * *

"Bel, Haru-chan, congratulations~! I have always known that the two of you would end up together! This calls for a celebration tonight!"

The earnest well wishes were the first things that Haru could hear the moment she stepped into the Varia castle with her husband in tow. Then she was promptly pulled into an exuberant hug by the Varia's resident flamboyant Sun Unit Commander whereas Belphegor was given an enthusiastic slap on the back. The blonde smirked slightly whereas Haru pinkened in response, every bit the blushing bride.

Lussuria looped an arm cheerily around the younger Storm Varia's shoulders and continued to speak. "Ohohoho! To think that you are the first amongst all of us to get hitched, Bel! Why, it seemed like only yesterday when you first joined us; just a snotty little eight year old brat with an obsession with sharp pointy things and mutilating people! Look at you now! All grown up and married! I bet we will have a bunch of little Bels and Harus running around the castle in a few years' time, eh? Now won't that be fun?"

Haru wasn't quite sure about Lussuria, but the idea of her children running around the headquarters of an infamous assassination squad didn't sound quite right. But then again, seeing that their father was one of the commanders of said assassination squad, perhaps she should start getting herself used to the notion.

Belphegor's grin widened slightly in reply. Evidently, the Storm Unit Commander was the very epitome of a happily married man today. "That's a work-in-progress, Lussuria, but you can be assured that I am trying _very_ hard."

It was true after all; they had a deadline to meet.

The colorful-haired male laughed with mirth at the younger man's silky remark whereas his new wife blushed even more. Lussuria was genuinely happy for the couple; they were planning to set up their own family and the martial arts expert knew for one that it would be a wonderful experience for his fellow Varia Commander. As wealthy and influential as the blonde was in terms of status and birthright, there were only a rare handful of people whom Belphegor had allowed close to him and Haru's presence in his life had done him nothing but a world of good. While still undeniably wild and temperamental at times, Belphegor had matured significantly compared to before he was made to look after a certain sassy supporting member of the Juudaime's Family. Of course, they had hated each other on sight even though the unresolved sexual tension between them both had been thick enough to cut with a knife, and no one would have guessed that just a little under a year later, the Varia's Prince would have found—and married—his Princess.

And speaking of the impressively swift (Bel was certainly not taking his own sweet time here) marriage—

"And oh, Haru-chan, you may want to get back to Tsunayoshi-san when you have the time. I believe he has heard of your nuptials from your Father and has been trying to get a hold of you since last week."

Haru had the grace to look slightly guilty at Lussuria's remark. She had forgotten about her Famiglia in the chaos that followed in the wake of Belphegor and his various marriage proposals, and then there had been the wedding ceremony that had happened so quickly, the unexpected honeymoon in which he had bought her an entire island, and last but most definitely not least, the many issues that came with his countrymen (and women). There was no doubt that Tsuna and the rest back in Japan must have been quite surprised by the news of her abrupt marriage.

"I will, Lussuria-san. The Famiglia back home must have been wondering what is going on. Thanks for telling me."

She was as unfailingly sweet and polite as ever, and Lussuria could tell that being elevated to the position of a Princess Consort had done nothing to change her guileless, unassuming disposition. Belphegor rolled his eyes at her though, not that anyone could see it from behind his veil of long fringe.

"You don't belong to that Family anymore," he told her unceremoniously. "You are mine; one of ours now."

He spoke the truth of course; it wasn't as if she could return to Japan to work now that she had a husband who was based in Italy, not to mention that there was no way he would let her live in a different continent away from him for extended periods of time. Still, he could not expect her to just abruptly sever her connections to the Japanese side and forgo her bonds with her close friends back home.

"That's…true," she replied reluctantly at last. "But we are all Vongola, so there shouldn't be any contention as to where I belong."

"Yes, there is," he retorted. "You belong with me and I'm hardly interested in playing buddy buddy with your martyr of a leader." He also remembered the close relationship Haru seemed to share with the descendent of the Vongola Primo. "You should limit your contact with Sawada Tsunayoshi; you are married now and I hope you remember Alaisdair's advice."

She remembered Alaisdair's advice alright. She was supposed to be above reproach, a paragon of virtue, whereas her husband was greatly encouraged to have relations with multiple women. Haru could feel her eyelid just beginning to tick with renewed aggravation at the reminder.

Judging by the way that Haru-chan was frowning at her husband, Lussuria could very well guess that she was not very happy with the situation at all. The Sun Unit Commander kindly decided to change the subject before he indirectly caused mayhem in Bel's new household.

"By the way, Bel, you'd be interested to know that we have already captured the traitors. They have been dealt with accordingly." Which meant that those bastards were probably either dead or permanently incapacitated. Bel flashed a sharp grin, vindictively amused. Lussuria continued. "You may want to avoid Squalo for awhile though; I think he's not happy that you didn't invite him to attend the wedding."

Actually, it was more like the silver-haired swordsman was rather pissed off that Belphegor had decided to run off to get married at the most inopportune time, when they were wading knee deep in enemies and needed all men on deck to weed out the traitors. Belphegor scoffed, and then shrugged off Lussuria's arm.

"Squalo's always unhappy," he remarked, unconcerned. "By the way, tell the others there will be a few inconveniences knocking on our door in a few weeks' time."

The colorful-haired martial artist raised a curious brow from behind his sunglasses. "Oh? What have you done this time, Bel?"

The blonde appeared faintly irritated. "Some issues with my country, as usual," he sneered. "They are trying to plant spies in my household—legitimately."

"Legitimately?" Lussuria echoed.

Haru looked faintly uneasy at the subject, though her husband continued, irked.

"The Council's trying to get me to marry a few women of their choosing, under the excuse that I'm the last of my line and need to secure as many heirs as possible."

The blonde did not sound happy at all, and a brief look at Haru revealed that she wasn't exactly thrilled by the news either.

"But that's ridiculous!" the Sun Flame wielder exclaimed in surprise. "Haru-chan, you are actually allowing this?"

The brunette shook her head slightly.

"I'm not happy with it," she admitted softly. "But they are not giving us a choice."

"They will only be trying their best to get into my pants," Belphegor remarked with a careless shrug. "But it's not as if I'd marry them even if they managed to somehow achieve that unlikely feat."

The blonde royal smirked slightly when he caught the small frown that was beginning to form on Haru's brows. He found her little bouts of jealousy rather entertaining; she was usually such a tame, amiable little thing, and it never failed to give him a wicked thrill of pleasure to know that he could arouse that vindictive little she-devil that she had hidden so deeply within her psyche. He would have been insulted by her lack of faith if he wasn't so pleased with her instinctive reaction to defend her territory (namely him), though her reaction was entirely unnecessary. He had already told her that he had no intention of marrying any other woman than herself, and she should know that he never lied.

Any random woman on the street would have scoffed and told Belphegor that his wife had every right to feel insecure and defensive; after all, it wasn't as if he had gotten onto his knees to declare his undying love for her before proposing marriage. If anything, he had completely skipped over that part and jumped straight to demanding for her to marry him. It was testament of Haru's love for him that she had accepted his clumsy proposal, and apparently, there was a part of her that was still stunned that she had somehow landed the wealthy, _not-so-sane_, good-looking, _violent_, powerful, _perverted_, assassin Prince of the Varia for a husband.

It was almost like a fairytale—the Grimm Brothers kind, if only in a somewhat morbid and not suitable for children way.

No matter what the women who intended to court him believed, Belphegor was definitely far from being the ideal storybook Prince Charming, and as such, Haru was not the slightest bit pressured to match up to his 'high standards.' She was learning quickly to be less modest and subtle about showing her feelings and displeasure since Belphegor was definitely not the type to deal with her emotions unless they were right in his face and refused to go away unless he did something about it, so she just had to be more thick skinned and assertive if she didn't want him to trample all over her sensitive feelings. Fortunately, those were something Haru had always done quite well with in her youth and although now she was older and had grown to become a more reserved young woman, it wasn't difficult to bring those traits rising to the surface when she needed it, and strange as it sounded, Belphegor did not particularly seem to mind. Perhaps it was due to his prestigious family background combined with his dangerous temperament, but she was definitely the only one who dared to boss him around and he was more amused by her than anything else.

"You'd better make sure that never happens," she managed to remark at last in a rather level tone, though the look in her eyes told him that she would raise all sorts of hell if he failed to keep his promise. Belphegor looked like he wanted to needle a proper reaction out of her, but he chose not to address the subject in the end.

"Mortigor and the rest of my servants have already been updated, and you guys might want to keep an eye out as well." The blonde went back to speaking to his fellow colleague instead. "Keep your guard up; I don't know who they are planning to send to 'tempt' me and as much as I hope that it will just be a bunch of vapid, airheaded heiresses, it is not likely that they will miss this opportunity to send in more capable individuals."

He was perfectly serious and objective in this instance, and that prompted Lussuria to take note of the younger man's observation. The martial arts expert rubbed his chin thoughtfully and did not miss the latter's unspoken request to look out for trouble—on behalf of his new wife, who was civilian and therefore quite vulnerable to attacks of any sort.

"Of course we will, Bel," Lussuria replied him immediately. Like he had said earlier, Haru was one of theirs now; the rest of the commanders would do their part and fall in around the young woman should she ever require their help. "Does Xanxus know of this matter already? I'm reasonably certain that our leader will bar them from entering the Varia property; this is our Headquarters, after all, and not a matchmaking agency. Xanxus will not be pleased to have to let a bunch of security risks tromp around the castle every which way they please."

Belphegor grimaced at that, aware that he was going to catch hell from his irritable, angry leader for this recent series of unfortunate events.

"No, Alaisdair told me that the Council have already anticipated this security issue and have gone through the proper channels to ensure that the women whom they have chosen will not be denied access to their target—namely, me." The blonde looked sour.

Haru shot him a mildly perplexed glance as she drew her own conclusions. "You mean they joined the Vongola Famiglia?"

She sounded like she had no idea how to react if that was true—if those women became members of her Family, then it meant that she would have to work and get along with them, and spend the rest of her life beating them off her husband with a proverbial (or even actual) stick?

It was hardly the blissfully married life that she had always imagined herself to enjoy when she did get herself hitched, and not surprisingly, Haru would have let her dismay show if not for the quick shake of her husband's head.

"Do you really believe that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can become a member of the Vongola? This is not exactly an open gym membership no matter how much that Boss of yours wants to believe it is," he told her with a small, pointed scowl. "And besides, the Council does not think very highly of the Vongola Famiglia as a whole and fortunately for us, will not dream of linking their spotless reputations and vaunted family names to an uncouth gang of 'thugs and cutthroats.'"

It was obvious that those elders had conveniently decided to forget that their Crown Prince happened to be a rather high-ranking member within the Famiglia that they had so casually slighted, though Haru quickly decided that she was rather thankful for their bigoted thinking for now—who knew what would have happened if they had actually tried to join the Vongola.

Lussuria understood what the blonde had indirectly implied though. He recalled the large amount of money that had been donated to the Vongola by an anonymous benefactor right after the damaging war with the now annihilated Millefiore Famiglia. Realization occurred.

"They were the ones who sponsored the repairs and restorations after that war?" the Sun Unit Commander asked even when he already knew the truth. Belphegor nodded curtly. It was true that the Vongola Famiglia was disgustingly wealthy, but the war had taken its toll on the powerful mafia clan's resources and although not exactly destitute, the Family had chosen not to turn down the generous offer to sponsor the reconstructions efforts in both Japan and Italy.

It meant that the Vongola Famiglia now owed the Royal Council a favor, one that would be repaid in full by granting the latter free access to their Crown Prince.

Lussuria gave the newlywed couple a small, sympathizing look. The experiences from the past had shown the older, colorful haired male that the noble clans of Belphegor's country were extremely manipulative and sly; Haru was going to have to learn to be very careful when dealing with their ilk.

The next few months would indeed be quite difficult for the new Princess Consort, but then again, Belphegor was unlikely to just stand by and let the vultures tear into his vulnerable wife.

Of course, it wasn't as if Haru was a wilting wallflower who constantly needed to be protected. After all, the young woman was quite clever and resourceful, not to mention she had a sensible head on her shoulders as well. She was also clearly in love with their Bel, and therefore it made sense that she would be unlikely to let herself be bullied by others when the stakes were so high.

As if to agree with Lussuria's thoughts, Haru squared her shoulders slowly, a firm, quietly determined expression on her face.

"It will be alright," she ventured at last with cautious optimism. The brunette looked at her scowling husband. "I have to admit that I'm still a bit worried, but now I just really want to get this over with."

Both men looked at her. It wasn't brashness or even hotheaded temper that drove her words, but there was something in her eyes as she looked at Bel that conveyed her acceptance and understanding of the situation. She wasn't exactly upset—though Belphegor was certainly looking miffed enough for the both of them.

"What is that supposed to mean," he demanded peevishly, hackles rising subtly. "Are you giving up just like this?" On me?

The last part was not voiced, but it was rather obvious to Haru what he was talking about. She was not impressed by his huffy, melodramatic reaction, and promptly shot him an exasperated stare. A quietly smiling Lussuria took the chance to excuse himself, giving the pair of newlyweds some privacy to sort out their issues, not that they had even registered his silent departure.

"No, I'm not giving up," Haru replied in negative, perfectly calm. "But I still want to get this done quickly."

Before he could say anything else, she looked him straight in the eye, her gaze gentling, and she continued. "I want this over with so that we can raise our children in peace and I won't have to worry about their safety all the time."

Whatever he was expecting her to say, that clearly wasn't it. He was struck momentarily speechless as he stared at her, and then, his gaze quickly dropped from her face to her flat stomach. "Are you-"

The look on his face must have told her what he was thinking, for she turned a dull shade of red and started to sputter.

"I'm not," she blurted out quickly, her voice an entire octave higher than usual, so flustered was she by his assumption. "I'm not pregnant; I- I was just planning for the future, I guess."

Actually, Haru wasn't quite sure what she was thinking; it was something that had just occurred to her all of a sudden and she had immediately known that she did not want their future offspring embroiled in any of the schemes that Bel's countrymen were hatching.

The blonde in question didn't say anything for awhile, though he eventually huffed and reverted to his usual casually offensive self.

"That's too bad," he drawled deliberately at last. "It would have solved a lot of problems if you were already carrying." He gave her a devilish smirk. "Not to mention, they'd no longer have any cause to doubt my potency and, most importantly, your fertility when it comes to my seed."

Most predictably, she was not amused by his crude observation. She frowned reproachfully at him. "I'm not a piece of farmland, Bel."

It was no one's fault but her own that she had fell for that one. His smirk widened slightly and he leered at her, amused by the opening that she had just given him.

"Really? Because I'd be happy to plow you all day-"

Haru quickly turned bright red. It didn't help that they were still in the hallway where just about anyone walking by could overhear and understand his perverted, _grossly inappropriate_ innuendo.

"Belphegor!" she hissed his name in an abjectly mortified tone, barely restraining the urge to reach over and slap her hand over his dirty mouth. Knowing him like she did, he would have most likely responded in a manner that would make the situation even worse. "How can you still joke around anyway?"

"Why can I not?" he retorted in reply, a careless, vulpine grin on his lips. The look on her face must have told him what she was thinking, for he shrugged slightly and continued. "There are too many irritants in this world to bother with, and unfortunately for you, you will be getting acquainted with a good number of them as my wife. It's a waste of energy and effort to fret over them all the time."

His comment was almost too much, coming from the same person who had cursed and swore with such angry ferocity when he first realized what his countrymen were planning. Haru stared at her husband in a mildly skeptical manner before she shrugged it off as yet another part of his eccentric nature. God knew that he could change moods faster than anything and/or anyone she had ever encountered; perhaps this was just a coping mechanism that he had developed after years of dealing with his fellow aristocrats, and although Bel wasn't exactly the sanest individual in the Famiglia, he had learned to cope and adapt to the circumstances of his life in the only way he knew how, and had survived just fine.

Belatedly, Haru wondered if she would become strange in her own way after a few years of marriage to the infamous Prince of Varia. With an inward sense of dismay, something told her that she would most likely be just as strange as her other half, though if being an oddball would help in coping with the stress of dealing with Belphegor's many familial issues, then perhaps she wouldn't mind the loss of her sanity as much.

"About the plowing-" As if on cue, the blonde's one track mind chose the moment to rear its perverted head, and Haru groaned inwardly.

"Bel, please shut up already!"

_

* * *

_

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Sorry for the delay, people! I actually intended to post this last week but FF Net was acting up again and I couldn't get into my account at all until today. Anyway, I hope that this latest installment fulfilled at least some of your BelHaru cravings! I have to admit, after writing so many chapters already (this is swiftly becoming my longest fic ever, I kid you not), I'm still very much in love with this pairing. Bel and Haru are such a cute, fun, couple to write for, and I'm still quite smitten to even think of writing for any other fandom!

And of course, it is also thanks to the massive support from you readers for giving me encouragement and feedback to improve my writing. It makes me really happy to know that there are people out there enjoying this fic!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Now, back to my notes on this chapter. I'm sure most of you have more or less guessed this by now, but I will still put this on record so as to completely clear the doubts for everyone. Yes, we have entered a new arc, and it will be more or less focused on the 'royal side of things,' so as to speak, what with Haru having to deal with an invasion of her personal territory (Belphegor) as well as (as usual) said husband having to dig into his sorely lacking patience to keep from losing his temper and maiming/stabbing his fellow aristocrats, amongst other things. There will be some drama, but nothing ludicrous and completely ridiculous like what you would expect to see on soap operas on television, I can at least assure you that.

We will also be exploring a bit of Belphegor's family history, so there will be some OCs introduced. As usual, don't worry that this fic will be eventually overrun by original characters—it will not—the majority of my OCs are only side characters at most, nothing more. After all, I still intend to keep the plot realistic and believable in context to canon-verse, so let's see how well I can keep to that.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

You will notice that in this chapter, Belphegor is being shamelessly pleased with Haru's possessiveness of him, and is not at all afraid to show his pleasure in the matter on more than one occasion. Our resident Prince of Varia is not a particularly modest man by nature, after all, and you can say that he is very happy because Haru's jealousy is just further proof to him that she is fully committed to their relationship. Remember, even though the Belphegor in this fic might not look like it, he is highly distrustful in his very nature, so it does put him more at ease to be reminded—to see evidences—of his wife's emotional investment in their marriage and bond.

Or you can also say that he suffers from mild abandonment issues, stemming from the fact that Haru is a very special and unique individual to him, and since he has never encountered anyone like her before, she is a precious commodity to him and he is naturally equally possessive of every aspect of her. Since he is not exactly the most well-adjusted person in the world, he does tend to show his affection in somewhat unorthodox ways.

…well, at least there are no sinister giggles involved this time!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	42. Chapter 42

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7003

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 15/04/11

* * *

**Chapter Forty Two**

* * *

The next few days proved to be quite challenging for Haru.

In between getting used to married life and returning to the routine of working in the Varia's dungeon vaults, the brunette quickly found herself attending an obligatory crash course of Princess 101, mandated by Alaisdair and courtesy of Mortigor and Francesca. She was also kept rather busy explaining the circumstances of her rather hasty marriage to the Famiglia back in Japan, especially reassuring her Boss that she was in no way ill treated or forced to make such a sudden life-altering decision.

Meanwhile, all too aware of what she would be up against in the form of his two formidable, stoic servants, her rascally husband had taken full advantage of her preoccupation to slip off for an extended assignment, leaving her completely defenseless to the determined might of his butler and housekeeper. It didn't take all too long for an outraged Haru realize that her inconsiderate spouse had ran off and left her utterly clueless and at the tender mercies of Mortigor and Francesca when it came to the instructions of her new duties as a Princess Consort, and if Belphegor wasn't uncontactable at the moment, then she would have called him to tell him just what she thought of his abandonment in her time of need.

The poor brunette had been unsure what to make of the situation at first, but thankfully, it wasn't quite as bad as whatever she was expecting it to be. For one, Belphegor was not exactly conventional royalty, and his clan had never been particularly interested in mingling with the royal houses of other European nations. In fact, the Royal House of Tsiveone had cultivated the practice of only maintaining minimal contact with the other monarchies and imperial families, an act that was only all too politely returned by the others. It seemed that Belphegor's family possessed a rather notorious reputation even amongst the other royals, and it was fortunate that the they were not very social as a whole, preferring to keep to themselves for the most part and actively encouraged to remain that way.

It was no secret that the Tsiveone Royals were a disconcertingly vicious lot and quite infamous for their violent, unstable tendencies, so not many were particularly surprised that the entirely family was now almost wiped out safe for one last living member.

Therefore, due to the unique circumstances, it meant that Haru would have little to no social obligations to attend to as Belphegor's Princess Consort. It was a relief to know that she would not be paraded around before the prying eyes of the world, that she would be mostly left in peace to do her own things and be able to live her life in relative obscurity and privacy. With all the misadventures and trouble that her Famiglia always got into, not to mention the Varia's many dangerous missions and assignments, Haru had a notion that she was going to be busy enough as it was without the added burden of dealing with her elevation in status.

Mortigor and Francesca clearly seemed to agree as well. They were hard pressed for time as it was and it was much more important to get Haru swiftly up to speed on the political climate of their country as well as the various noble clans who held considerable influence there. Thus, Bel's loyal staff opted to forgo etiquette and comportment instructions altogether in favor of quickly broadening Haru's general knowledge when it came to the kingdom that her husband would one day lead. Her basic manners and bearing were acceptable enough and did not require any pressing correction, and Haru quickly found herself settling into a daily routine where she would work as per normal in the day and then proceed on to study all the relevant topics pertaining to Belphegor's country at night.

Unfortunately, the topics themselves were rather dry and tedious, and after putting in a long day's work at the dungeon vaults fine tuning the various defense mechanisms, it was really quite exhausting, not to mention difficult, to have to muster the effort to pay close attention to the information that the two main servants were attempting to impart to her. Still, Haru tried her best to absorb as much as she could, studiously jotting down notes that were deemed important and dutifully committing to memory the various names and important figures that either Mortigor or Francesca particularly highlighted.

Five consecutive nights of repetitive, intensive, mindless cramming sessions later, Haru was rapidly approaching the end of her tether. She was far too polite and stubborn to suggest that they slow down the pace for her, but not surprisingly, Bel's butler and housekeeper were astutely observant individuals and it did not take them long to realize their new mistress's increasing fatigue. Not that Haru could be blamed for the lack of stamina; she had kept up well enough, it was just that the whirlwind of activity that surrounded her nowadays just seemed to pile up and she was quickly being overwhelmed. It also didn't help matters at all that she was currently left alone to deal with her new responsibilities; their Crown Prince had chosen the most inopportune time to leave his consort's side to satisfy his bloodlust, and the poor Princess was bravely trying her best to cope with it all by herself.

The servants could see that it wasn't exactly working very well, but the hardy young woman was determinedly pushing onwards despite being completely out of sorts with her new situation and it was definitely admirable to see how she was trying her best to match the efforts of everyone around her who was pitching in to help. Despite her attachment and undeniable affection towards her husband, it was clear to see that the new Princess Consort was not the type of female who constantly needed her other half to hold her hand and gingerly guide her through life. That was a good thing—after all, Prince Belphegor was hardly the type to mollycoddle anyone, not even his own wife, so it was rather fortunate for everyone involved that the blonde had the luck and good sense to pick out a wife that complimented his more…restless traits.

All in all, the servants were quite pleased to have Haru as their new mistress; she balanced out their temperamental Prince perfectly and with adequate guidance and experience, Mortigor and Francesca were sure that she would grow to become an invaluable asset to the royal family. It was a good goal to work towards, to prepare the Princess Consort so that eventually, she would be able to take over the royal household and manage her family, expertly 'holding down the fort,' so as to speak, even when her mate was running off elsewhere indulging in his considerably dangerous…hobbies.

Of course, that endeavor was a long termed project in the making, but for now, the servants settled on getting Haru ready to face the oncoming storm that was caused by the Royal Council. The bridal prospects were due to arrive any day now, and it was apparent to see that the Princess's nerves were slowly being wound taut as the inevitable meeting drew nearer, growing steadily anxious as her all too healthy imagination took her on wild spins of what might happen.

It was _really_ quite vexing that the Crown Prince had chosen this period of time to go on a mission and leave his wife to her own devices, but then again, perhaps it was just as well that Belphegor was not around to aggravate his already stressed spouse. Being empathetic and supportive was admittedly _not_ amongst Belphegor's strongest points, so having him around could have resulted in a far disastrous scenario than now.

Mortigor sat stoically by the study desk beside his mistress and observed momentarily as the younger woman immersed herself in reading through the notes that she had jotted down painstakingly earlier. The Princess Consort was a conscientious and diligent student who absorbed and swiftly retained whatever knowledge that he chose to impart to her well, and therefore it wasn't difficult to instruct her at all. In fact, they were actually ahead of schedule in terms of teaching what she had to learn, and as such, the butler decided that it would be acceptable for them to stop a little early this evening.

"Your Highness," the middle-aged male murmured gently, catching her attention. Haru roused from her reading to look at her teacher, her gaze curiously expectant. "You have done good work today, and have progressed at a rate beyond my expectations. If you wish, we may finish up for today so that you can turn in early for once."

It had not escaped the servants' careful attention that their mistress was not sleeping enough, though Haru shook her head slowly, her eyes turning to the small clock on the desk to gauge the time. The brunette did not seem to register that small bit of well deserved praise that butler had paid her; she had always had a knack for studying, that's all, so it was not as if she had done anything spectacularly amazing. Most importantly, Haru just wanted to get the whole thing done and over with as quickly as possible—it was a goal that she had every intention of fulfilling; that, and yelling Belphegor's ears off for abandoning her at the first opportunity. She was still drawing a list for the latter. A very long one.

"Thank you, Mortigor-san; I couldn't have gotten everything so quickly without Francesca-san and your guidance." For now, there was none of the indignation in her polite, grateful tone that belied her irritation at her irresponsible husband. That she would reserve solely for his _deserving_ ears when she could get a hold of him. "You really don't have to stop on my behalf; it's still quite early, so we can still continue with the lessons."

The young mistress was an undeniably hardworking individual, and if Mortigor wasn't already aware of her assiduous, meticulous work ethic—she was always in the dungeons bright and early in the mornings and had a most unhealthy tendency to skip lunch whenever she got too immersed in whatever she happened to be doing at the moment—then he would be once again silently impressed by her drive and determination to fulfill her priorities. It was a much welcome contrast from Prince Belphegor, who only worked at his own pace and even then, only _when_ he felt like it, though in his master's defense, the blonde almost always got the job done in the end. Hopefully, some of the Princess's better traits would rub on her husband and he would learn to become more responsible.

But for now, Mortigor had to make sure that his newest charge would not overdo herself.

"I strongly insist that we stop for today, Your Highness," the butler demurred gently. "It will do no good should you fall ill now from unnecessary stress, and besides, you have learned enough that you are now adequately informed on the affairs of our country, and that is more than sufficient for His Grace and His Highness's requirements."

"But…" Haru did not appear particularly satisfied with her own performance so far, was convinced that she could do even better. Her more obstinate nature was slowly peeking through, the hint of plucky, never-say-die attitude that had attracted their Prince's attention in the first place showing in the way she was determined not to let down those who were placing their expectations on her—not to mention how she had no intention whatsoever to relinquish the rights to her husband of two weeks to someone else without a fight. And so, like any studious, bookish individual, Haru was dutifully 'stocking up on ammo,' sharpening her wits and knowledge for the difficult battle ahead. It was the only way she knew; she was neither physically strong nor did she possess the incredible types of power that characterized the Vongola Guardians and the Varia Commanders, but her brain had always been her most valuable asset and Haru was keen to make good use of it.

She was being a bit too literal of course, and Mortigor was concerned that she would overtax herself, especially so with his master not around to stop her. As brusque and admittedly…insensitive as Belphegor could be at times, his methods of distracting his consort were always bluntly effective. Since the Prince was not on hand to tend to his mate's anxiety induced fervor, the duty naturally fell back onto his trusted servants to ensure that she remained as healthy and emotionally balanced as possible.

In that instance, the stoic butler decided that he might know of just the thing to divert the Princess's attention.

"In this case, would you like to know more about His Highness's direct family, Your Highness?" Mortigor enquired then, effectively gaining Haru's full interest in the process. The brunette's gaze centered on the middle-aged man quickly enough, all traces of indecisiveness and protest momentarily wiped from her face and replaced by curiosity. Despite having gone through the history of the Royal Family of Tsiveone a few days ago, Mortigor had been rather vague about the specific members of Belphegor's family and to say Haru was quite curious would be an understatement.

"You are allowed to tell me about them, Mortigor-san?" Haru asked at last. The butler, with the hints of distinguished silver hair peppering his temple, nodded once.

"They are your family as well now, Your Highness," he told her simply, and Haru agreed, interest lighting up her features.

"Please tell me then, Mortigor-san, I want to know."

"Very well." The butler pulled open a drawer on the study table and carefully withdrew a small framed picture from within its confines. With proper reverence, he placed it before Haru, who peered curiously at its contents. Her eyes widened slightly with surprise—and gradual recognition.

It was a family portrait. A formal, painted one.

Immortalized within the frame were a man and a woman, accompanied by two very young toddlers. A beautiful family of blondes stared back at Haru from within the small painting, exceptionally well dressed, with varying shades of gold tinted in their hair. Parents and children. Their identities were unmistakable; the crowns that sat regally on their heads—the adults' intricate gold and jeweled coronets more ornate and elaborate than the youngsters' simpler platinum circlets—were the unmistakable symbols of sovereignty of a reigning royal family.

The King, his Queen, and their Princes.

The man, most likely in his late twenties at the commission of the portrait, possessed a familiar, lean, rangy build that caused immediate recognition to stir within Haru. His hair was not the rich burnished gold of her husband, but white blonde, long and straight, and tied back in a low, dignified ponytail. His fringe, characteristic of all the men in the Tsiveone Family, perfectly covered the upper planes of his angular, clean shaven, aristocratic face. He was dressed in full ceremonial uniform; rows upon glittering rows of stars and service medals decorating the shoulders and left breast of his claret crimson coat, ornamental gold braids and the royal blue sash of various Orders crossing his torso, adding to the regality of the royal garment. A dress saber was sheathed at his waist, and black pants with imperial red strips flowing down the sides as well gleaming knee length Hessians boots completed the entire ensemble. The King stood slightly off to the side of his seated Queen, his gloved hand resting on her shoulder, his expression schooled and impassive as he stared out of the picture, every inch the royal monarch.

"That is His Royal Majesty, King Achereau IV of Astonia, Sire of His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Belphegor of Astonia," Mortigor pointed out in a quiet, reverent tone. "And beside him is His Highness's Dame, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Chantelle of Astonia."

Belphegor's mother was honestly one of the loveliest women Haru had ever set eyes upon, never mind that she was only seeing her in portrait. It was apparent that Belphegor had gotten his hair coloring from his mother, though hers was even longer than that of her Kingly spouse and had fallen down her back in soft, loose, glimmering curls. Her face was exquisitely dainty and heart shaped, her eyes a stunning shade of amethyst, her nose slender, her mouth full and inviting. In the picture, she had worn a formal, full length, off shoulder princess gown paired with long, white evening gloves that complimented her willowy figure, the soft rose pink color of the dress accentuating her pale, glowing complexion. Wrapped around her slender throat was the only piece of jewelry she wore with the exception of her wedding ring (the same ridiculously flashy antique monstrosity that now belonged to Haru) and crown; an elaborate diamond choker embossed with what Haru now recognized as the royal sigil of the King.

Belatedly, the brunette recalled with a faint flush that Belphegor had gifted her something quite similar as well, though hers had been in the shape of his personal crest, and he had given it to her quite some time ago, _long before_ the talks of marriage had came into the picture, actually. Haru wondered if there was any significance in that particular piece of jewelry now that she was seeing something rather identical on her predecessor. She shook her head inwardly to clear her curiosity; she could always ask later.

For now, Haru returned her attention to the picture, running her eyes carefully over what must have been an at least twenty-five year old portrait. Her gaze lingered over the Queen's perfect doll-like features once more, and Haru could not help but feel inadequate and plain compared to the other woman's exquisite beauty. She could see that her husband's parents had been a truly gorgeous couple, and Haru wondered what they would have thought of their son and heir's marriage to someone so painstakingly ordinary and common like her if they were still alive now.

Something told her that had the King and Queen not tragically perished in that fateful assassination, then life would have been a lot different for Belphegor, and that their paths would most likely never cross in that alternate lifetime, let alone end in marriage for the both of them. That whimsical line of thoughts saddened Haru somehow. She glanced over at Mortigor.

"They are such a beautiful pair," she commented sincerely to the butler. "I can see where Belphegor has gotten his looks from." Haru pointed to one of the two toddlers who sat on their mother's lap and hazarded a guess. "Is that him?"

Barely one year old, but both Rasiel and Belphegor already looked so identical to each other that Haru could not tell them apart at all. The baby fine blonde fringe that covered their eyes did not help matters at all, but Haru was charmed by the formally attired young Princes all the same—as well as their cute little crowns. The babies had been clearly too young to have already developed their Cheshire Cat, Joker-like tendencies yet, and merely stared inquisitively out of the picture with innocent curiosity—which really explained why Haru could not pick out Belphegor at all. As with most women who had seen something unbearably adorable, the brunette felt her heart squeeze with tenderness at this rare baby portrait of her husband, and hoped in her heart that their future offspring would be just as precocious as their Father had been as a baby, if not even more so.

Surprisingly enough, Haru had guessed correctly, for Mortigor nodded. "Yes, that's His Highness."

Haru smiled softly, gently fingering over the baby likeness of her spouse. "He was really such an adorable baby, all chubby and cute," she remarked with a smile. She wouldn't dare to say it to his face of course, and she suspected that there was a reason why Mortigor was showing this to her only when Belphegor was most noticeably absent. "I don't suppose there are any more such portraits around?"

At that, the butler shook his head somberly.

"Unfortunately no, Your Highness. This was the first _and_ last family portrait of the Prince's direct family. This tiny miniature is actually a replica; the original is a lot bigger and is kept in safe storage back in Astonia, but that's about it."

Haru nodded in understanding and sobered slightly at the unspoken reminder that Belphegor's parents had been assassinated mere months after this painting was made. She looked at the portrait once more, inwardly saddened by how an entire family had been so easily destroyed by greed and betrayal.

"Mortigor-san," she spoke up at last, her brows crinkling slightly together in a frown as a worrisome thought suddenly occurred to her. "When Belphegor and I have children, will they be forced to face the same trials as Belphegor and Rasiel? Will they be pitted against each other in duels to the death? Because if that is so—" Her eyes hardened at the understandably upsetting notion. "—then I don't think I have any intention to have more than one offspring with Belphegor."

She was already getting rather riled up thinking for her children who had yet to be conceived, let alone born, and the middle-aged butler wholly approved of her protectiveness. It was further proof that she would be a good mother to the Prince's children, both he and Francesca believed. Perhaps it was the commoner blood that flowed within her that made the desirable trait stand out so strongly; noblewomen, the high ranking ones in particular, did not seem to possess the same powerful maternal instincts as compared to Haru (as evidenced by how she had so patiently and willingly looked after the six year old Bel from the past), though the butler had a hypothesis for that.

Nobles were, after all, more often than not a highly privileged class of individuals. With an army of efficient servants at their every call and bidding, the aristocrats didn't usually have to take care of mundane matters like childrearing. That duty fell to the servants—trained, highly specialized positions like nursemaids, nannies, tutors, and bodyguards; the main roles of noblewomen were more often than not just to conceive and carry their offspring to full term so that their precious blood would continue down future generations, and that was it. The other aspects of childrearing were pretty much optional, and not surprisingly, quite a number chose not to be too actively involved in it. Raising a child was a dirty, exhausting, tedious job after all, and there were much better things to do to occupy one's time with.

Commoner women, however, did not have the same luxury as their counterparts of the noble class. Not only did they have to carry and give birth to their offspring (most continuing to work and toil throughout the duration of their pregnancy), they also had to raise and take care of their children without any professional help save that of family and at times friends. It was definitely admirable that the common masses could juggle so many roles at the same time and still continue to go on with their everyday lives with minimal disruptions—something that Mortigor was quite certain the supposedly 'superior' noble class would have endless trouble with if it was left to them to accomplish alone.

It was that same curious resilience that would make the Princess Consort a good wife to her mate and a good mother to their children, and Mortigor was convinced that she would be the glue to hold them all together. The Royal family would not break this time; no, under the nurturing warmth of the endless Spring skies, the aged, dying tree that was the Tsiveone Clan would once more grow and flourish into something truly great and majestic, just like how it was always supposed to be.

The barrenness and string of tragedies that had plagued the Royal House of the Tsiveone for nearly thirty years were finally coming to an end, and the servants who had faithfully served the Tsiveone for generations on end only had one seemingly insignificant foreign commoner to thank for breaking the curse—and they were immensely grateful.

Mortigor quickly sought to relieve Haru of her anxieties for her future children in his usual stoic, sedate manner, revealing none of his thoughts.

"Don't worry, Your Highness," the man told his mistress. "Line succession by mortal combat is not usually mandated, even in a country as steeped in tradition as ours. The circumstances that led to Prince Belphegor and Prince Rasiel's situation were…unique, to say the least, and instigated by blood traitors in the hope that the brothers would both perish in the fight for the throne."

Haru had not heard of this before, and her gaze sharpened with interest as she regarded the butler.

"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly prompting Mortigor to explain. As the Princess Consort was no longer a stranger, was now in fact a crucial member of the Royal family and therefore had every right to know, Mortigor did not hesitate to delve further into this taboo subject.

"At the time King Achereau and Queen Chantelle perished from the assassination, the will that had been left for the young Princes had not stated which of the two would succeed the throne. It was assumed that Prince Rasiel, as firstborn, would become the next King, but the boy had been much too young to take the position even with regents and advisors guiding him, and the blood traitors who were next in line after the two Princes attempted to use their youth and inexperience as grounds to disqualify them from succession."

"It didn't work. The Royal Council would never allow anyone but an heir from the Royal House of Tsiveone to take the throne, and had emphatically stated in no less terms that they would not consider any other alternatives unless the entire Tsiveone line was wiped out. And so the traitors did the next best thing: they objected to Prince Rasiel's ascension again, factoring in his youth once more, and as additional precaution, started to drum up support amongst the Council that Prince Belphegor should have an equal opportunity to contest for the throne as well, as an _identical_ twin to the heir apparent and therefore having as much right as his brother to become King."

Mortigor did not look like he was immersed in the memories of the past, just calmly reciting facts, but Haru wondered if that was really so. She was beginning to feel anxious just by listening to the bare details that were being revealed to her, and surely it must have been a lot worse some twenty five years ago.

"What happened next?" the brunette asked in a hushed tone.

The butler glanced briefly at the mildly distressed expression on his mistress. He continued somberly. "The Council at last reluctantly agreed that Prince Belphegor had every right to contend for the throne as well, but this caused an unprecedented situation whereby there were now two Princes vying for an _unoccupied_ throne. Your Highness, you must understand that in the past, the heir apparent had always been chosen by the King, and now, without His Royal Majesty to appoint his successor and with the Princes too young and undeveloped to assess their suitability to be the next monarch, the Council was unable to throw its support behind either Prince, stuck in a dilemma that the blood traitors quickly took advantage of."

"The practice of succession by mortal combat was one that was not often used, but in this case, it was accepted because it would allow only the strongest Prince to ascend the throne. From an identical pair of brothers with the same royal blood coursing through their veins, only the one with the strongest will to succeed and the capability to survive will get to become King and lead the Kingdom, and that was something the Council approved of wholly. For the betterment of Astonia, they agreed that this was the best course of action, and for the blood traitors, that meant one less obstacle to get rid of. They split apart Prince Belphegor and Prince Rasiel and placed them in separate households, but still within the same palace, just one month after the King and Queen's funerals, and one year later, assassins regularly came to test our security measures for His Highness."

Haru looked physically sickened by what she had just heard. "But Bel and his brother were only babies still," she protested in a low, disbelieving whisper. "They turned a pair of brothers against each other just to see who's stronger?"

Haru really did not like the impression that she was starting to form of the so called 'elites' who ran Belphegor's country. In fact, she was starting to become quite upset, and was beginning to quickly understand why Belphegor seemed to dislike them so much.

"What they have done was certainly inexcusable," Mortigor agreed quietly. "But the ends justify the means, Your Highness, and what didn't kill Prince Belphegor only made him stronger. He was able to kill all those who had plotted against him by the time he turned thirteen, and as a result of his brutal execution of those traitors, there are now none on the Council who would dare to act against him. You do not have to worry that the future Princes and Princesses would be made to go through the same ordeal as their Father once had. His Highness would never allow it."

The brunette was still not entirely convinced. "And if we are no longer around to protect our children? Who will stop them?" she asked. Haru had to know, especially after hearing what those crazy aristocrats were fully capable of. It was bad enough that any offspring that she and Belphegor would have would be living targets for those who sought to do harm to their powerful assassin Father, and now, Haru found out that she had to worry over the not so innocent intentions of Belphegor's countrymen as well. She was starting to develop an intense headache.

"There's always the likelihood of…accidents occurring," Mortigor acknowledged slowly. "His Highness has already thought of a special failsafe to be implemented in the case of such a scenario, and has as much as included it within his will. It is not in my place to say anymore than that, however. You should ask His Highness for an explanation when he returns from his assignment."

Haru furrowed her brows together, wanting to press for more details but subsided in the end. She nodded. "Alright." The Princess Consort fell silent after that, and it was obvious that she was feeling rather troubled by the things that Mortigor had told her, by the frailty and mortality of life. Gently, the butler sought to ease her uncertainties. It was not his intention to alarm her about her new life, but she had to know the dangers around her, understand that the possibilities that could happen and find her own way to accept and deal with them.

"Your Highness, I doubt that the tragedy that befell King Achereau and Queen Chantelle will repeat itself in this generation. For one, His Highness's combat experience is second to none in Astonia—he is not an easy opponent to defeat, nor is he someone who would easily give up his life." A faint, imperceptible smile ghosted across the middle aged man's lips then, one that was almost sad and regretful in appearance. "For another, the Prince is most unlike his father, and you, Princess Consort, are nothing like the late Queen."

The brunette did not understand, and it showed in the bafflement on her face. Mortigor continued to explain. As the current butler of the King (which the Crown Prince was everything but in name), he also bore the unofficial title of lore keeper of the Royal house of Tsiveone, a role that was passed down only to the most senior servant of the Royal family. As such, no one knew more of the many secrets of Astonia's monarchy than he did.

"Look closely." Mortigor pushed the miniature portrait of the Tsiveone Royal family towards Haru once more. "Tell me what you see, Your Highness."

Haru was getting more and more confused by the man's cryptic directions, but she followed his instructions and carefully scrutinized the portrait. A poignant sadness resonated within her as she looked at the small, framed picture once more. There was a saying that a family was only brought together by fate. But clearly, before this one had the chance to become something more, it was abruptly torn asunder. Haru felt such empathy as she stared at the picture of Belphegor's family that she ached inside.

"I see a beautiful family," she told Mortigor in a quiet, respectful tone, her eyes lingering over the regal King, the serene Queen and their innocent, perfect toddlers. "I wonder…what Bel would have been like now if they were all still alive."

Something told her that it was unlikely that he would have changed much, though. Haru shook her head inwardly to clear her whimsical thoughts, focusing her attention back on the portrait again. A small frown crinkled her forehead as she noticed something quite peculiar. It hadn't been obvious, but now that Haru was paying close attention to the picture, something did not feel quite right about her husband's parents. It was very subtle, but their body postures with respect to each other were…stiff, _stilted_. At first glance, she had assumed that it was the formal setting of the painting that had lent an unnatural, wooden air between the royal couple, but that didn't make any sense, for Haru could clearly see the Queen's gentleness as she held her children…

Slow realization occurred to Haru.

"Something is not right…" she murmured, her brows knitting together. "The King and Queen…"

Mortigor allowed Haru to come to her own conclusions. "This was the only portrait that they had ever sat for as a family," the butler insisted carefully once more, and Haru now realized how significant that statement was. "The royal marriage was the foundation of a powerful political alliance between two extremely affluent clans. Queen Chantelle hailed from a long line of French royalty and her blood ancestry could be traced all the way back to Louis XIV of France, _Le Roi Soleil_. The Royal Council decided that it was time to reinfuse the blood of French aristocracy back into the line of Tsiveone, and actively encouraged King Achereau to court the then Lady Chantelle."

Haru could feel her headache creeping right back again. Why was Belphegor's family history so darned complicated? "So that's why they got married?"

Mortigor hesitated slightly, and then he nodded. "His Majesty was a patriotic soul who loved his country very much. He chose his duty over his lover, and he married the Queen that the Council had picked out for him."

Haru froze slightly at that. "Wait, l-lover?" she repeated, stunned. Did Belphegor know of this?

"It was implied by the previous lore keeper—his butler—that the King had…someone else," Mortigor replied composedly. "It was not a recorded fact, and the butler was reluctant to reveal too many details, but it was hinted that was the case. Of course, our King was nothing but faithful to his consort, but it quickly became clear that the marriage was one of convenience and political gain."

Once again, Haru felt sad for her husband's family. It was twisted and tragic, and most importantly of all, it wasn't right. To think that there had been so much injustice done…

"That's wrong," she whispered. "And it was unfair to all of them."

"Yes," Mortigor agreed. "Yes, it was. And some may even say it became too much and that it broke the King in the end. When the fatal assassination attempt came, His Majesty…accepted his fate without much resistance. He succumbed to the assassins in less time and with less of a defense than he was capable of putting up. The Queen was unable to deal with the onslaught of enemies alone. She fell too, overwhelmed, moments later."

Haru did not know what to think. Her mind raced with the implications of it all. "He did his duty to his country," she muttered with abject understanding. "He was no longer the last of his line. There was no need for him to remain."

"That's correct, Your Highness."

Haru felt like throwing up.

But worst of all was the slow, boiling anger that bubbled within her at the reckless, irresponsible behavior of her long deceased father-in-law. It was not respectful of the dead to resent them for their actions when they were alive, but Haru was finding it very hard not to do so in this case. Using excuses like duty and obligation, this man had caused so much misery to those around him just because he did not have courage to do anything else. And then he had just chosen to give up in the end, condemning the woman he married to death and his young children to a lifetime of hell.

No wonder Belphegor never spoke much of his parents. There was nothing to tell.

If it was Mortigor's intention to distract his mistress from her anxieties, then he had succeeded. She was quite upset now, her eyes glowing with indignation. Angry as she was, she drew the line at badmouthing the dead, and it wasn't as if whatever she said now was going to change a thing of the past.

"You are right, Mortigor," the brunette managed at last, controlling her agitation with effort. "Bel is nothing like his father."

It was commendable that Haru was getting so upset on behalf of her husband, and Mortigor smiled faintly at that, approval in his eyes. Behind the seemingly docile, non-confrontational façade of the Princess Consort hid a fierce fire that would burn for those whom she loved and cared for, and not for the first time, the butler was thankful that his master had chosen someone like her for a mate.

"His Highness will not make the same mistakes as his sire," the butler spoke gently. "It is not easy to die for your country, but it is even harder to live another day to serve one's Kingdom. King Achereau chose to separate his obligations from his needs, and was forced to pick between one and the other in the end. His Highness chose you first above his duties, and that will make all the difference."

There was no doubt that Mortigor was utterly convinced by what he was saying.

"That will make all the difference?" Haru echoed softly, not understanding. "How so?"

"Simple. By assimilation via marriage, you are now part of Astonia as well. There is no conflict of interest for His Highness, and there never will be, no matter what the Royal Council thinks. His Highness will never have to choose between you and his country because you are one and the same. _His duty and his needs are one and the same._ And in time, when heirs arrive, he will be obliged to put more effort into securing the national interests of our Kingdom for the sake of the legacies and issues that the both of you will have."

He was talking about children, Haru thought belatedly. Hers and Bel's, who would be born of royal blood, Princes and Princesses by birthright. Then another thought occurred to her, that what Mortigor was talking about didn't sound like a plan at all, but more like an extremely accurate premonition of what was going to happen in the future. She was mildly perturbed by how Belphegor's servants were thoroughly aware of every aspect of their master's life, and actively went out of their way to make sure that it ran its proper course. There was no privacy for the members of the royal family, and now that she had married into Astonia's monarchy, it was expected that it would be the same for her as well. Haru could only be thankful that Belphegor's staff was extremely discreet and not prone to gossiping about their master, not that they would, unless they did not fear for their lives.

"But Mortigor-san," Haru protested softly, uneasily. "Bel won't be happy to have to do all that."

God knew that her husband would not be pleased to have extra (paper)work heaped on him, especially when all he really wanted in life was to fight and stab people. Lots of people. Paperwork would just get in the way of his…hobbies.

"His Highness may not like it," Mortigor agreed calmly, inwardly pleased and approving by how well the Princess Consort knew her mate. "But nonetheless, he will get it done in the end, because it will be for the offspring he has created with you. Always remember that _he chose you_, Princess. Anything and everything else that has a part of you is his by choice as well, and His Highness _will_ do his duty by his children."

Haru had certainly not considered that, but it seemed that Mortigor had given it much thought. Even though Astonia would be benefitting from Belphegor's attentions only as a byproduct of his possessive covetousness of his mate and their future progeny, what mattered most in the end was the rather significant fact that Belphegor would still carry out his responsibilities to his nation as a reigning monarch—and that was more than enough.

The stoic butler gave his surprised looking mistress a glance that was filled with quiet, but no less genuine, gratitude.

"On behalf of all of Astonia, we are extremely thankful, Your Highness. Thank you for marrying our future King, and most importantly, _thank you_, for giving him back to us."

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Alright, an update without any disruptions from FF Net this time! Wonderful!

As always, I hope that you guys have enjoyed this chapter. There was no Bel/Haru interaction here, but I needed to establish some backstory for our resident Storm Prince, so I hope some of you at least found the tragic family history of the Tsiveone Royal Family interesting to know.

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Astonia is a fictional country that I have made up for the sole purpose of this fic. It is a small country in northern Europe and is governed by absolute monarchy and plutocracy. I'm aware that there is actually a country in northern Europe known as Estonia, and for those who really want some images of Belphegor's country, feel free to google Estonia instead. It is a beautiful and successful country and I think I will try to model Astonia after it when there are future references to Belphegor's homeland in the progression of this fic.

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	43. Chapter 43

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6224

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 25/11/11

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**Chapter Forty Three**

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Haru scowled slightly at the golden-haired man seated behind the study table, smirking shamelessly at her. It hadn't been all that great a surprise to see that he had returned from his assignment; Mortigor had as much as informed her that her husband had completed his mission already and would be back soon, and of course the first thing Bel did when he got back was to look for her. It was almost enough to make a blushing bride swoon with happiness, but Haru wasn't exactly blushing and she was certainly in no mood to swoon anywhere, let alone of happiness.

"Feet off the desk," the brunette muttered by way of greeting. "I need it to study."

To his credit, the blonde obeyed her, casually dropping his booted feet back onto the ground. He leaned forwards then, resting his elbows on the table and watching her amusedly with his veiled gaze. He was certainly in a good mood, she thought sourly as she ventured deeper into the room, crossing her arms against her chest and looking quite annoyed.

"Mortigor tells me that you are quite the diligent student," Belphegor remarked with a catlike, lazy smile. "Even I hated those boring lessons when I was made to learn it in the past, but he said that you were able to pick up the topics very quickly and had learned a lot in a short amount of time."

Haru was not aware that the butler had been giving reports of her progress to Belphegor, though in hindsight, she should have known. It was the middle aged man's duty to look after his master's household, after all, of which Haru was now a rather important member. Most startling of all, however, was the fact that Belphegor had actually paid attention to what his servant had told him.

The brunette went up to her husband (of whom she had not seen for nearly an entire week) and sat down on the chair beside him. He tilted his head slightly as she seemed to deliberately ignore him, and his smile widened slightly.

"What; no welcome home kiss for the husband who has been working hard all week?"

He did not exactly look like he had been hard at work at anything, and if she wasn't already aware that he was trying to annoy her, then she was thoroughly convinced of it by now. She shot him a flagrantly nonplussed look.

"Bel, if you have nothing better to do, please take yourself off somewhere. Some of us actually have schedules to keep to. We cannot all run around doing things as we please like you do."

It was definitely a jab at him, but he was just in too good of a mood to take offense. It was apparent that she was feeling peeved with him for some reason or another, but he shrugged it off as he usually did.

"Why not?" he asked her instead. "You are a Princess now; you can do whatever you want. The only schedules you need to follow are your own and mine."

She was his Princess first and foremost; of course it was only natural that he would have priority in her life. This time, Haru gave him a look that was partly appalled and partly disgruntled. Good god, he didn't really expect for her to adopt his 'Because I'm a Prince' spiels, did he? If so, then she was never going to hear the end of it.

Exasperated, Haru leaned over and hurriedly pecked him on the cheek. The last thing she needed now was to be drawn into that particular conversation _again_.

"There," she muttered. "Now, go disturb someone else. I'm busy."

Somehow, she wasn't surprised when he failed to budge from his seat.

"That's not a kiss," Belphegor told her rather amusedly. Then, he reached out and hauled her easily from her seat to his lap, ignoring her little squeak of protest. "_This_ is a kiss."

He proceeded to show her just exactly what he meant, lowering his head to hers and ravaging her mouth with thorough hunger and desire, until all she could do was cling on to him and respond to his heat and ardor in kind, her fingers clenching tightly into the collar of his jacket. A small sound escaped her throat; as usual, it did not take her long to succumb to his persuasive ministrations, quickly kissing him back fervently and with so much sweet, needy passion that he purred with pleasure. Much to her inner chagrin, he was also radiating masculine smugness without reservation, inordinately pleased by her body's instinctual, ready reaction to his proximity. It was just one of the many instances that proved her weakness when it came to him, and he was not at all shy of exploiting it to his best advantage.

It was difficult for Haru to think straight when Belphegor was kissing her like that, with such carnal enthusiasm and _sheer want_ that all she yearned to do was to remain right in his arms and let him sweep them both away in a torrent of heady passion. However, the niggling thought in the back of her mind persisted through the fog of lust that filled her head, reminding her of something very important—

She tried to pull slightly away from him then, albeit reluctantly, but he only growled and tightened his hold on her waist, pressing her right up against him and not giving her any leeway to retreat from him. He nipped and sucked on her lower lip punishingly, and she expelled a startled, breathy rush of air, her brown eyes dark with growing arousal.

"S-stop, Bel," she protested in a fluster, turning slightly away from him to break the kiss. "Mortigor-san will be coming in anytime soon-!"

Unlike her, he was unfazed by the prospect of being walked in upon by his butler. In fact, the blonde appeared more interested in molesting her (judging by how he was slipping his hands under her clothes) than paying heed to her fretting.

"You worry too much," he mumbled against her bared throat, his mouth latching over her silky flesh, his warm, wet tongue flicking against her smooth skin. She shuddered, leaning into him instinctively. "This household is the servants' domain; they see and hear all within these walls, and they know better than to intrude."

She could feel the hardness of his arousal pressing against her backside, and the brunette squirmed reflexively. Her husband merely pulled her even more firmly onto his lap, grinding his erection against the softness of her body. A distracted moan broke from her lips, and Haru automatically parted her legs slightly to accommodate Belphegor. He promptly rewarded her efforts by deftly unbuttoning her jeans and sliding his hand under the fabric, eagerly reaching for the treasure that hid behind her panties.

"Mortigor-san is not intruding," Haru gasped out after spending a few minutes recollecting her thoughts and trying to figure out what they had been talking about all these while. It really was getting hard to think and Haru was struggling to remember why she was _not_ supposed to let Belphegor have his wicked way with her. "He has a duty to teach-" Haru broke off then, flustered and biting her lips to stave off the small moan that threatened to slip out as he slid his fingers against the sleek, moistening flesh between her legs, drawing lazy, teasing patterns against the entrance of her sensitive core.

Haru trembled finely in Belphegor's arms and promptly forgot what she was about to say. Her eyes fluttered shut, her features growing flushed with arousal, and she leaned her forehead helplessly against her husband's shoulder. A throaty little whimper of pleasure escaped her parted lips as he slowly pushed his index finger into her while his thumb continued to caress the small pink bud of her clitoris, and Haru could only wrap her arms around Bel's neck tightly and cling onto him for dear life as he continued to touch and pleasure her. He was easily employing his intimate knowledge of her body to drive her wild, and it did not look like he planned to stop until he turned her into a quivering mass of Haru-flavored jello—not that she was protesting.

He _smiled knowingly_ at the way her sensitive body all but came to life under his attentive hands—her innate, _immediate_ reaction to him told him everything that she did not say, though he was quite happy with his discovery all the same.

"You missed me, huh," he murmured silkily, ducking his head to hers and nuzzling the side of her cheek. She could feel a small, all too familiar, grin spread across his face and grunted softly in response, stirring slightly and turning her face to his in order to drop small, haphazard kisses over his mouth, chin and jaw. He rumbled quietly with enjoyment, and slyly slid another finger into her. She quivered, the tight inner muscles that lined her snug passage rippling around his digits uncontrollably.

He was now no longer just content with her openly demonstrative behavior; he wanted to hear the verbal confirmation as well. The blonde licked the sensitive shell of her ear, and then lightly nipped at her earlobe. "_Tell me_."

"Uhhmm," Haru moaned quietly in agreement, her eyes opening to look at him, the doe brown depths languid and dewy, her resistance shot. She kissed him on the corner of his smirking mouth. "I missed you," she murmured plainly, nothing coy or coquettish in her genuine reply. It pleased him very much, and he chuckled softly.

"Good answer," he told her with a small grin. "You will pass tonight's lesson with flying colors if you keep it up."

It took awhile for Haru to understand what he meant. She blinked owlishly at him, awareness slowly filtering through the haze of passion that griped her senses.

"Mortigor-?" she started, clearly questioning the whereabouts of her stoic instructor only for Belphegor to interrupt her with a shake of his head.

"Forget Mortigor. I will be your tutor this evening, my dear," he told her silkily, swooping down to steal a wet, carnal kiss before she could protest. Haru shuddered and closed her eyes, her cheeks flushed, simply weak against his advances. Her hips arched instinctively into his fingers, her thighs clenching around his hand even as he played with the increasingly slick flesh between her legs. He kissed her once more, the gesture surprisingly more affectionate than he usually let on, and this time around, she could taste the smile on his lips. It just made her want him even more.

Her hand came up to caress the side of his face, and she could not help but blurt out. "I love you."

He was hardly repulsed by her confession—in fact, it pleased him very much to hear her say the words, and it showed in the way his hold on her tightened in response to her deceptively simple statement. He positively _purred_ as he showered her with his special brand of attention, and she was only too happy to bask in it, returning his kisses with her own sweetly enthusiastic ones and stroking him with amorous affection.

"I think we can skip the theory part of today's lesson and jump straight to the practical portion," he informed her in a throaty growl, quickly pulling his fingers out of her sleek body. Much to his masculine satisfaction, his hand was already sticky and damp from her arousal. He could hardly wait to make love to her. The blonde snaked his arms behind his wife's knees and around her shoulders, securing her to him and swiftly got to his feet, sweeping her off with him as he headed out of the study at a rapid pace. She squeaked with alarm and grabbed onto him tightly. It quickly became clear that they were heading straight for the bedroom.

By then, Haru didn't really mind all that much to being spirited away by Belphegor to fulfill his not-so-innocent intentions. With him, it was inevitable anyways, and it wasn't as if she was unwilling. On the contrary…

The brunette remained trustingly in her mate's arms; nuzzling his neck lovingly and then planting a small, needy kiss on his jaw as he strode down the hallway with her.

"What lessons are you supposed to teach me, by the way?" she asked huskily, slightly curious.

He grinned down at her, glad that she had asked.

"Why, my lovely wife, you are going to learn how to please your King."

* * *

Hours later, Haru masked a small yawn as she curled up against her husband's lean body.

She laid her head on his shoulder, preparing to settle down for the night. She felt boneless and languid, the afterglow of their passionate lovemaking evident on her gently flushed features and the peaceful lethargy that had beset her entire being. Belphegor, too, appeared equally relaxed, languorously unguarded as he stroked her bare back absently, a rare air of contentment surrounding him.

She could hear his heartbeat from where she had laid her head on him, the steady, rhythmic sound a soothing lullaby to her sleepy ears. She was quite close to falling into slumber when he spoke.

"The first of them will be here tomorrow," he told her out of the blue. It took her a moment or so to figure out who he was talking about. She was quickly startled wide awake, her body tensing with alarm.

"Eh?" she yelped out in surprise before scrambling to sit up. "Why didn't you tell me so earlier?"

He pulled her back down onto the bed before she could climb out of it to pace and fret. "This is why I didn't tell you earlier," he muttered under his breath, before speaking louder, "And what could you do other than run around and panic uselessly even if you knew in advance?"

He made sense, of course, though she was hardly appreciative of his blunt but accurate assessment of her reaction.

Haru gave him a small scowl but did not deny his observation. She also grudgingly settled back down beside him. "I would have appreciated some advance warning, all the same," the brunette retorted. Her husband rolled his eyes.

"What do you think I'm doing now, hm?" he asked her sarcastically. "If I didn't say anything, then you wouldn't even know until they come knocking on the door tomorrow."

"B-but-!" Haru stammered, tripping on her words in her haste to speak. "It's too soon and I'm not ready yet!"

It was not the first time that he noticed it; she was strangely insecure and unconfident of herself when it came to her new duties and status, most likely due to her silly notion that she had not yet rightfully earned the title of his wife, which was absurd of course, since this was a marriage and not exactly a job offer based on meritocracy and work credit. Of course, the annual allowance she would receive as his consort would make even holders of the highest paid jobs in the world turn green with envy…but that was beside the point. Besides, he knew that she had applied herself thoroughly to learning about his country; even his stoic butler had proclaimed her ready to take on whatever political bullshit his 'bridal prospects' could throw at her, so it wasn't as if she had grounds to doubt her abilities to handle herself before the other socialites.

Belphegor shot her an annoyed look. He had never been one to be sensitive to her moods and feelings even when she was feeling particularly helpless, and he sure as hell was not planning to start now, when she was being utterly ridiculous about the whole thing.

"Don't be stupid," he snapped at her, fully intending to nip this latest crisis in the bud before it could snowball into a full blown panic attack. It worked. His vehement and sharp reaction was enough to snap her out of her various anxieties and overly dramatic thoughts of 'worst case scenarios,' and she stared at him with wide eyes. He was quite visibly irritated by her display of vulnerability. She could be so fierce and unyielding in other instances, even daring to stand up to him at his worst, so he didn't understand how small, insignificant matters like these could easily bring her down. She really needed to restructure her priorities, in his opinion.

"I have said this before, and I don't like to repeat myself, so open your ears and listen carefully this time, you daft woman, for I will not say it again. You are a Princess Consort now, and will one day become my Queen, regardless of what the Council thinks. They are the ones who should jump through hoops to please you, not the other way around. With the exception of myself, you outrank all of them and under no circumstances are they allowed to intimidate or make you feel inadequate about your new station in life. They are beneath you and you should not give a damn about their opinions. If anything, they should take care to make a favorable impression on you, for you wield considerable clout as my consort and I'm hardly likely to be in favor of them if they make you unhappy."

Haru had certainly not thought of things that way before, and as much as his brusque, impatient manners made her frown, it was clear that she was also quickly beginning to understand the dynamics that her new world now revolved around—just why his advisors were so bitter and adamant against her. She had been, after all, a common little nobody, one who was now an important figure in the life of their King, who could easily influence his decisions if she ever felt like it. She was in a highly advantageous position that the Council could not exploit as easily as, say, a noblewoman of their choosing could, and as such, it should be no surprise that they were so resentful of her presence.

Her eyes quickly flew up to meet his.

"But I didn't marry you in the hopes of manipulating you for political gains," she told him in a surprised whisper, almost as if she had just understood what he was trying to tell her. It was about damned time, according to her peeved husband. He bared his teeth at her in a semblance of a dangerous grin.

"_Exactly_. So you see, my worried little wife, you have nothing to fear at all. I would never touch those women they throw at me with anything less than a ten foot pole, and even that had better be equipped with a damn cattle prod."

* * *

When the next day arrived, Haru was fluttering about in a distracted tizzy. She could not sit still and could not seem to pay attention to her work, and despite what Belphegor had told her the night before, she was still antsy as hell and her twitchy behavior was driving Belphegor nuts, not to mention making the lesser servants jumpy and anxious as well. The blonde tolerated her uncharacteristically flighty moods for most of the morning before he lost his patience with her completely and dragged her off to the bedroom for some much needed stress relief.

It was a good decision that the Storm Unit Commander had made, for when the couple reemerged from the privacy of their chambers a little less than an hour later, both were significantly relaxed and much less agitated, and Haru was able to compose herself reasonably well when Mortigor came to inform them that their guest had finally arrived. The brunette was quietly thankful that her husband had decided to stay close by instead of slipping off like he usually did—it was yet another instance that proved he could be counted when it mattered the most—for her over imaginative mind was up to its usual mischief and he proved to be a very effective deterrent against it, even if a rather perverted one.

They were waiting in one of the many drawing rooms scattered around the large castle. Belphegor was being his usual insolent self, completely unperturbed and leaning casually into the couch, his legs crossed elegantly at the knees, his chin resting idly on the back of his propped hand, a small, inscrutable smile on his face. His other hand was resting rather innocently on Haru's lap, playing absently with the ring on her finger, and altogether, the golden-haired Prince looked like a leisurely aristocrat who was enjoying the afternoon with his lady.

Unfortunately, the lady in question was hardly as relaxed or as tranquil as her husband. The brunette was not exactly skittish or obviously anxious, but she was slightly tense, leery of the upcoming meeting despite her mate's deliberate nonchalance in the matter. His presence had helped center and reassure her overwrought nerves even though he had been nothing more than his usual couldn't-care-less self, and she subtly drew courage from his careless, fearless attitude.

After what seemed like a long time of waiting for Haru, the door to the room finally opened quietly and Mortigor entered first, sedately ushering in the lone figure that followed calmly in his wake. Nothing on the butler's usual dour expression gave away his thoughts on the identity of the newcomer, and Haru was not certain just what to expect. Like her husband, the woman who walked in was clearly of Caucasian descent; tall, elegantly slender, with startlingly fair skin and an aristocratic arch of a nose. She was tastefully attired in a beige conservative suit with a knee length pencil skirt that emphasized her svelte, trim figure, a string of pearls on her neck and discrete, matching drops of the precious spherical gem on her ears. Her hair was done up in a sleek chignon, the light blonde strands impeccably styled to compliment her appearance to best effect. A small, veiled vintage cocktail hat sat at a smart angle on her head, the fishnet material partially obscuring the upper portion of her face from view.

Her features became clearer as she ventured deeper into the room, and she moved with a dignified, self-assured poise that spoke of an innate confidence only seen in those born within the privileged class of wealthy nobility. Haru's attention was instinctively drawn to the other female's graceful movements, the distant, regal way she carried herself, and last but not least, the seemingly untouchable, blonde perfection of her beauty. As Mortigor guided the woman towards them, Haru could not help but silently marvel at the latter's exquisite appearance. Perfectly symmetrical features, full lips that were painted a lush red, high, well-defined cheekbones, and her eyes—framed by long, dense lashes, they were so dark a shade of blue that they appeared violet. It was a familiar hue that Haru thought she had come across recently before, and with an inward start, the brunette realized that this intimidating, beautiful, woman had the same eye color as Bel's late mother.

Who was she?

It quickly became apparent that Belphegor knew exactly just who the newcomer was, and unlike his easily awed wife, he was hardly impressed by the presence of the other blonde, judging by his soft, irritated scoff. If the lovely golden-haired female heard his disparaging exhalation, she did not show it. Cool, steady eyes looked straight at the Tsiveone Crown Prince, barely even acknowledging the petite, somewhat pretty brunette girl/woman who sat by his side.

"Belphegor," she spoke at last in a mildly accented, smoky voice. "It has been awhile."

The distinct lack of honorific in her address of the Crown Prince hinted at a level of intimacy that Haru failed to catch. She spoke in fluent Italian, and for Haru, who was still struggling with the language, let alone attempt to remember all the various titles and confusing etiquettes required to greet the different royal and noble classes, it was no surprise that she had completely missed the minor slight that had been made against her.

Belphegor did not, of course, though he showed no outward reaction, other than for a long, hard stare at the angelic looking female.

"Marquise de Fronsac," he drawled boredly at length, seemingly unaffected by the other's cool beauty. "The Council must be pretty desperate if they sent you."

A Marquise, Haru quickly remembered from Mortigor's lessons, was the French title of a noblewoman who ranked below a Duke and above an Earl. That she was in the presence of one was a notion that Haru was having some difficulty wrapping her head around, and it did not help that her first such encounter was with a poised, stunningly attractive woman who also happened to be a rival for her husband's attention.

It was hard for Haru not to feel inadequate as she stared at the blonde vision across from her. The Marquise, who looked to be around her mid to late twenties, exuded a cool feminine allure that was both subtle and gracefully confident at the same time. It was an effortless sort of appeal, yet undeniably womanly and mysterious, something that Haru was quite certain she would never be able to pull off in this lifetime _or_ the next. As it was, the golden-haired, amethyst-eyed woman did not even react adversely to Belphegor's faint jibe, easily maintaining her composure in the face of the Crown Prince's deliberately offensive demeanor.

"The Council believes that we will make a good match," she merely replied calmly, but of course Belphegor hardly cared about that. His lips twisted slightly with mocking derision.

"Of course. It also helps that your father has a significantly large say on said Council, won't you agree?"

It was completely typical of Bel to forgo all social norms and just go straight for the jugular. He had never been the subtle kind of person; if he wasn't happy about something, then those who caused him such aggravation would immediately know of his displeasure. To the noblewoman's credit, she did not flinch or even deny the unspoken accusation.

"Our families would have been united one way or another. If not for King Achereau and Queen Chantelle's untimely demise, we would have been engaged to be married." The Marquise was as unruffled as ever, an immovable stone in the face of the Tsiveone Royal's irritable temperament. Haru stared at the blonde woman, torn between being reluctantly impressed by her icy patience or surprised by the revelation that she had just revealed.

Belphegor snorted softly.

"No," the Storm Unit Commander denied bluntly. "You would have been engaged to Rasiel in that situation. Not me."

Sitting with impeccable posture on the armchair across from the Crown Prince and his Consort, the icily beautiful aristocrat looked coolly at the man who should have been her husband.

"Unfortunately, Prince Rasiel is dead." It was a mere statement of fact; the Marquise did not sound like it mattered to her one way or another. "You will be King, the one I will marry."

She was not beating around the bush, nor was she making any attempts to mask her true intention. To do so would be an act of futility; the future King of Astonia was a notorious genius who could sniff out the mildest hint of deception amongst his contemporaries and enemies, and would not have tolerated any forms of subterfuge or manipulation. Haru flinched inwardly at the directness of the other woman's statement, the finality of it ringing in her ears, as if she had just murmured a plain fact—that she _would_ be his Queen. This time around, the unspoken implications of the Marquise was not missed by Haru; unlike herself, this exquisitely gorgeous, sophisticated woman had been specially born and bred from birth just for this position—to become Coregent of Astonia. Her ambition was admirable, and the amount of preparation that must have had gone into training her to become a mate worthy of a King was simply unfathomable to Haru's commoner mindset, but the brunette was understandably unhappy with the other female's intention all the same.

The slow simmering jealousy, the instinctive possessiveness that had been quietly bubbling within Haru, subtly urging her to defend what was hers, slowly but surely started to overcome the anxious uncertainty and self-doubt that she had been feeling for the past couple of days. Even the woeful inadequacy that she had experienced immediately upon laying eyes on the blonde beauty was firmly and willfully pushed away as her courage reasserted itself—she might not be as gorgeous or feminine or even exceptionally graceful and ladylike, but there was one thing that she would never lose to the Marquise, and that was the depth of her love for her husband. Just the firm reminder of her strong affection for Belphegor was enough to boost her lagging confidence in herself, and despite the declaration of war that the noblewoman had all but casually stated, Haru found herself relaxing slightly, the tenseness of her body easing imperceptibly as she leaned back onto the couch more, taking her cue from her rather unconcerned looking spouse.

She would put her trust fully in Belphegor; after all, now was not the time to be divided from her husband.

The Storm Flame wielder smirked slightly at the Marquise's bold aspiration, more amused than anything. "Is that so? Unfortunately for you and your ambition, you will see that I'm already married. And quite happily so, actually. You haven't met my Princess Consort yet, have you now?"

It was akin to rubbing the noblewoman's nose in what she could not have, flaunting the position denied to her, and as before, Belphegor was being about as subtle as a sledgehammer. The corner of the other blonde's eyes tightened slightly at the silky taunt, but otherwise the woman showed no hint of anger, and her ironclad composure was rather impressive to Haru. She felt bad for the Marquise; despite her own misgivings, the brunette was not vindictive enough to want to make an enemy out of the other woman, and so she gave the aristocrat a small, hesitant smile, bobbing her head slightly in greeting, an abbreviated version of a polite bow that was used by most Japanese when meeting new acquaintances. Haru tried her best to be as friendly as possible, and her brown eyes were warm and pleasant as she introduced herself.

"Hello," the brunette proceeded to speak carefully in halting Italian, as most beginners of a new language tended to do. "I'm Haru. It's nice to meet you, Lady Marquise."

Those cool amethyst eyes finally turned to the small, slender woman who was tucked safely into the side of the sadistic assassin Prince, the petite Asian female completely at ease and unthreatened, perfectly content where she was. The infamously violent and viciously acerbic Crown Prince of Astonia was also unusually relaxed and…less edgy compared to how he was normally known to be.

The Marquis's expression was neutral as she studied the commoner whom Belphegor had taken for a bride. The girl was passably pretty at most, her features plain and rather ordinary. Her hair was a nondescript shade of brown, her doe-like eyes a lighter variation of the same unremarkable color. The lack of makeup and cosmetics on her face made her look ridiculously young and naïve, and her slim, girlish frame only added to the mistaken impression that the new Princess Consort was only an ignorant, fresh faced woman-child just barely out of her teens.

She was definitely not the usual type of woman that the Crown Prince was rumored to fool around with; there was no hint of sly cattiness or calculative intention in her speech or mannerisms, and her expression was open and genuinely amiable, tinted only with the slightest hesitation and no small amount of interest. It was all quite innocent, painfully so in fact, and beside the sardonic Tsiveone Prince, that strangely curious quality of the commoner Princess stood out in a rather annoying manner.

As an individual, Miura Haru was downright ordinary in terms of physical appearance. By logic, her presence should have been completely washed out by her partner's arrogant, aggressive one, but oddly enough, that was not the case. If anything, the blonde Varia's overpowering, dynamic aura only served to complement his mate's gentler disposition; here was a woman who was completely unafraid of him, and not because she was more powerful than he was in terms of combat, but just because of the simple reason that she trusted implicitly in him, knowing that he would not harm her even when he very well could.

The petite woman was displaying stupidity of the highest degree. Either that, or it was an impressive show of faith in the maniacal Crown Prince, one that was clearly not feigned or artificial based on the level of comfort that the commoner Princess derived around her assassin husband, and it was apparent that the blonde man knew it as well, relished in it even.

It seemed that Crown Prince Belphegor was indeed his Father's son; they even shared the same tastes in women.

After all, not even the servants who had served him all his life had dared to do something remotely similar, and the girl/woman's unique brand of appeal spoke for itself. Individuals sharing her particular blend of guileless naiveté and openly affectionate nature were extremely rare in the circles that those of their class mingled in, and it was easy to see why the Astonian Royal was attracted to the refreshing novelty that this woman represented.

Coldly, the Marquise fully expected for the Crown Prince to be completely bored and disenchanted with his newest toy by the time the month was through. There was nothing special about the girl; she was neither rich nor titled, and she was certainly not exceptionally beautiful or mesmerizingly charismatic either. In fact, she was remarkably unremarkable, painfully plain compared to the breathtaking beauty of the previous Tsiveone Queens and Princess Consorts who had preceded her, and it certainly was a mystery as to how her meager charms had managed to catch Prince Belphegor's attention in the first place.

But the gist of the entirely distasteful situation remained that the seemingly insignificant chit had succeeded where her aristocratic counterparts had failed spectacularly—the brunette had somehow managed to convince the slippery, infamously recalcitrant Crown Prince of Astonia to marry her in a legally binding ceremony, and in doing so, had drastically elevated her own lowborn status to one that was only directly below her royal spouse in rank.

As galling as the truth was, this particular commoner female was now in a position of power second only to her husband, which meant that all the noble classes below the Royal Family—even clans with rich, illustrious histories and the purest bloodlines—had to bow down to acknowledge her. The fact that the woman, who did not seem to possess even the slightest semblance of regal bearing whatsoever, was most probably too ignorant to completely appreciate the importance of her new position just made the whole situation chafe even worse. It was no wonder that the aristocrats of the House of Nobles were so upset by her presence, and it was no different for the beautiful noblewoman.

The amethyst-eyed blonde nodded stiffly at the younger woman who had usurped what should have been hers by right.

"It's a pleasure, Royal Consort," she uttered coolly at long last, inclining her head subtly towards the petite brunette. Her greeting was crisply cordial and perfectly acceptable by means of social convention, but completely lacked the warmth that would have made it sound sincere.

Haru flinched inwardly at the other's cool reception, but she wasn't about to give up yet. The brunette continued to smile in a cautiously optimistic manner.

"How may I address you, Lady Marquise?"

"I am Galatea Ophelie de Fronsac. You may address me as Lady Galatea, Princess."

All the optimism in the world could not blind Haru to the subtle disdain in the Marquise's cool, cultured tone. It was rather obvious that she was not liked, but Haru had already expected as much. Strange as it sounded, Haru felt more confident now that she knew exactly where she stood with the coldly beautiful noblewoman as compared to before, when she had no idea whatsoever just what she was going up against.

She could work with this. It certainly wouldn't be easy, but it could be done. After all, if she was already disliked, then there was nothing else she could do that would make the situation worse. It was shaping out to be a wonderful beginning with Galatea; they had already hit rock bottom on their first meeting and therefore Haru was convinced that there was nowhere else to go but up.

Besides, it wasn't as if Bel was going to be of much help here. Knowing her husband and his unholy penchant for causing mayhem, Haru was quite certain that she was better off handling this herself.

The pretty brunette smiled brightly at the blonde woman, bravely concealing her apprehension in the face of the latter's icy hostility.

"Well, Galatea-san," she murmured with earnest friendliness. "I hope that we will get along well."

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Hey everyone, I'm back! No, I have no intention of abandoning this fic, will continue to see it through to the end, in fact, so please don't worry about that. My apologies for the long wait, I have been busy in real life, but because I have never completely stopped writing for 'Of Sparrows and Princes,' do look forward to more regular updates from now on!

Last but not least, thanks for all the kind reviews that you readers have contributed to this fic. You guys have no idea just how encouraging and wonderful your feedback is to me. BelHaru is such an unusual crack pairing and hardly the typical OTP in a fandom that veritably worships yaoi couples, so it is really heartening to know that there are people who enjoy them as much as I do.

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As you guessed it already, the Marquise de Fronsac is one of my OCs, so don't panic if you have never heard of her before in the Reborn!-verse. Also, this arc is going to be a bit longer than the previous ones, so do hang tight!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	44. Chapter 44

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6401

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 03/12/11

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**Chapter Forty Four**

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Much to nobody's surprise but Haru's, Galatea was not easy to get along with at all. In fact, the noblewoman was deliberately making it quite difficult for Haru to establish a rapport with her. The former was always frigidly cold in her responses to Haru's various attempts at reaching out to her, and Mortigor did not have the heart to tell his mistress that she was being repeatedly snubbed by the other aristocrat, not when she was being so earnest and wholehearted in the endeavor as she usually was in everything else she did. That was especially so since the brunette, for some unknown reason or another, was trying quite hard to gain the Marquise's friendship and only became more doggedly determined in her efforts every time she was rebuffed, and the servants had no idea what to make of her single minded intention to befriend the woman whom her husband was supposed to marry.

Lady Galatea had certainly made it a point not to associate with the Princess Consort beyond what was socially acceptable, and although the beautiful blonde was too well bred to openly show her distaste of the situation, she had no such qualms displaying subtle contempt towards the seemingly meek, even-tempered woman whom the Crown Prince had chosen to marry, using sharp wit to easily put down the younger female with small, almost unnoticeable acts of derision and mildly disrespectful comments that Haru did not appear to notice. Or rather, if the latter did, then she certainly wasn't reacting adversely to Galatea's deliberately antagonistic remarks. The brunette would shrug them off as if they were of no consequence to her, going about with her work at the dungeon vaults as usual and trying her luck with Galatea again the next day.

"It's not as bad as I thought it would turn out to be," Haru had assured a concerned Mortigor one week after Galatea's arrival at the Varia Castle, which made the butler wonder privately just what lay behind his mistress's overactive imagination. "Belphegor has said worse things to me before and come to think of it, perhaps he must have been preparing me for this from the very beginning."

It was just like the Princess Consort to try to think the best out of every situation, the stoic middle-aged man thought with growing fondness for his newest charge. The pretty young woman might not be aware of it, but her bright, optimistic presence had certainly wrought a noticeable change in His Highness's household.

What was once a hushed and exceedingly stilted atmosphere was now markedly more lively and filled with good cheer as the servants went about fulfilling their daily tasks without the constant trepidation of incurring their master's wrath and irritable moods. After all, His Highness had been considerably less likely to lose his temper and deliberately torment the servants ever since his Princess came to stay in the castle, and of course everyone in the household had noticed the change immediately. The fact that the brunette had always been modest and friendly towards the small, efficient group of individuals who served their Prince had quickly won the rest of their support, and needless to say, they were all very glad that their master had married a woman so unlike most of the snobbish noblewomen whom they lived to cater to.

Of course, the Princess Consort was no paragon of feminine grace and beauty and was even known to exhibit some bemusingly strange behaviors herself sometimes, but her imperfections had merely endeared her to her new staff even more and they were all rather pleased have her as their mistress. Since happy servants were productive servants, it was no wonder that chores were being completed more efficiently than either Mortigor or Francesca could remember, and not surprisingly, the household was thriving as a whole, all thanks to the grace of Her Highness.

Still, as remarkable as the young woman was in terms of boosting the morale of her staff, some of her actions and thoughts were no less puzzling to them, and this instance was one of them. And Mortigor, as the most senior servant in Belphegor's employ and the one most responsible for Her Highness's wellbeing, felt obligated to understand the reasoning behind his mistress's deliberate self-flagellation when it came to the Marquise de Fronsac.

"If you do not mind answering my question, Your Highness," the butler had asked carefully then, as they were walking down the hallway after yet another lukewarm, if not downright chilly, reception from the blonde noblewoman. "What were you expecting then, if this situation was not as bad as what you thought it would be?"

It was a fair question, since Mortigor was interested to know what the Princess would consider alarming if she remained more or less unfazed by the fact that there was a woman with the intention of becoming her husband's second wife living under the same roof—not-so-coincidentally the same woman whom the brunette was attempting to befriend.

Haru blinked at the question.

"Well, when Alaisdair-san told me of the stipulations made by the Royal Council, I imagined that there would be a herd of women throwing themselves at Bel and deliberately making my life miserable. Galatea-san…was not what I expected." The brunette finished simply. She was certainly no longer as anxious or intimidated as compared to the few days before the arrival of the Marquise, and her change in demeanor was most curious.

Of course, it was also a blessing in disguise for Haru when she learned that she would only have to deal with one potential rival at a time. The Council had decided that it was counterproductive to have the noblewomen who had been selected as prospective brides converge upon the Crown Prince at the same time; the dangerously volatile blonde was not particularly well known for his endless well of patience and it would not do for the women whom they hoped he would marry to get on his bad side so quickly. As such, they had cleverly decided that the various aristocrats selected for this 'matchmaking exercise' would each be allotted a fixed number of days in close proximity with His Highness in the hopes that he would prove to be more susceptible to the women if they did not annoy him too much as a whole.

Had the Royal Council attempted this same exercise one year ago; it _might_ have had a slim chance of success. Unfortunately, now that the Prince was quite happily married to a woman of his own choosing, the bunch of females that they were attempting to throw at him was just one big lunk of inconvenience and annoyances, individually _or_ grouped together, and it would take a snowball's chance in hell now before His Highness would even look at any one of them with something as mild as interest.

The golden-haired assassin had proven just as much in the last week since Galatea's arrival; he was disinterested in the Marquise at best and downright derisive and cuttingly contemptuous towards the other blonde at worst, especially when she attempted to speak to him or catch his attention. He had also openly indicated his preference for his wife, showering the pretty brunette with amorous affection as and when he felt like it, regardless of the location or the people who happened to be around them. The fact that no one appeared to be particularly surprised by the Prince's scandalously demonstrative behavior towards his Consort had been telling enough; it was no act put on just for the Marquise's benefit, but rather a regular occurrence between the two lovers.

Unlike Haru, the Storm Varia saw no need to alter his behavior just for the unwanted guest living under his roof, and his unceasingly ardent fondness for her had aided significantly in restoring her confidence in the situation. Still, it had to be noted that the seemingly meek and docile Princess possessed enough gumption to firmly and deftly put a stop to all of her husband's groping whenever he got too out of hand, pun fully intended, scowling and swatting absently at him when he tried to take advantage of her while she was preoccupied coaxing a response out of the increasingly frigid Galatea, at last grabbing his long fingered hand in hers and placing it on her lap after shooting him an exasperated stare. Belphegor was rather indulgent of his bride, more amused by her mild irritation at him than anything else, and around her, had appeared languidly relaxed and remarkably nonviolent compared to how he was usually known to be.

The couple's comfortable, casual intimacy with each other was blatantly obvious and far from being forced or unnatural, and once again, it spoke of the considerable amount of time that had passed since they first got together, how there were none of the hints of awkwardness or discomfiture like there usually were in new, especially hastily formed, relationships, and it was no wonder why Lady Galatea was so wary of the Princess Consort, even though the latter remained blissfully unaware.

The Marquise must have realized the threat that Haru posed was genuine _and_ sizeable. It was clear by now that novelty had nothing to do with the way Belphegor had _changed_ when he was in the brunette's presence; it wasn't an astounding transformation but it was still rather apparent that the wild, volatile energy that typically surrounded the Storm Varia had calmed significantly, and credit could only go to the deceptively harmless woman whom he had married. This mere slip of a woman had managed to tame the violently vicious Crown Prince of Astonia where everyone else had tried and failed, and it must have been a daunting realization to comprehend the power that Haru now effortlessly held in her hands.

Mortigor easily understood the Marquise's reservations; had the Princess Consort been one of those scheming women who would not hesitate to exploit those around them for their personal gains, then the butler would have been severely wary of her as well. But his mistress did not possess that type of selfish personality, and she wore her heart out on her sleeve when it came to her mate, and that was partly the reason why the Prince trusted her enough to lower his guard in her presence, a distinction that Galatea had not earned despite having known Belphegor for a longer period of time.

It was no wonder that the beautiful noblewoman was so contemptuous and coldly furious with Haru, though it was once again a credit to the brunette's oblivious nature that she did not seem to register the animosity that was being directed at her, which was giving the middle-aged butler more than enough cause for worry. It would not do for the Princess Consort to get into trouble with the Marquise, after all, and since His Highness had decided to immerse himself in assignments and missions with his team as a legitimate excuse to spend less time around the bridal prospect, it was up to Mortigor to ensure peace and harmony in the household, and that the Prince's wing of the castle would still be standing by the time he came home.

Dourly, the stoic butler thought that the endeavor might be easier said than done, especially if his mistress continued to insist on befriending the aloof French aristocrat. Perhaps he should caution the Princess and offer his counsel with regards to her no doubt good intentions, though said intentions were more likely to do more harm than good once the little known connection between His Highness and the Marquise was uncovered.

"Your Highness, you may feel otherwise, but Lady Galatea has been trying to fulfill her objectives since her stay here in the castle," the butler pointed out carefully.

Granted, the Marquise was subtle in her dealings with the Crown Prince, high society etiquette and social status demanding that she attempt to court the Crown Prince with grace and dignity befitting her station, though unfortunately for her, Belphegor was simply not interested, and he wasn't at all hesitant to display his apathy towards the beautiful female. And as for attempting to make the Princess Consort's life miserable, well, it really wasn't for lack of trying on Galatea's part, but more of the fact that Haru had remained more or less carefree and dismissive of the snubs and slights that had been made towards her so far.

Bless Her Highness's stubborn resilience as well as the thick hide commonly found in the plebian masses ("I attended an all girls' high school back in Japan, Mortigor-san, and trust me, this is nowhere near what actual bullying can be.") for it seemed that the Marquise de Fronsac's cutting displeasure was utterly wasted on her, especially since it seemed that there wasn't much the other woman could do or say to verbally damage the plucky brunette in the first place. Haru's family was comfortably average in terms of wealth but she was content with what she had, so mild taunts and the usual flaunting of prestige and Old Money had not elicited the usual effects of burning jealousy or even downright intimidation.

Too late did the Marquise find out that Haru had not been raised to give her social status or lack thereof any mind at all. In fact, with an absentminded Math professor as her only parental figure as well as the woeful lack of a constant maternal presence in the formative years of her teenaged life, it was a minor miracle that she had learned to observe most feminine social norms at all, especially when she had been more or less running wild with her Famiglia ever since she was little more than fourteen years old.

As such, the commoner Princess was a bit more naturally protected than most when it came to defending against the vicious tongues of women, and the years spent in an all girls' high school—one filled with some of the most treacherous and craftiest young females in a period of growth (also known as puberty) and filled with the most ridiculous sorts of drama—had merely inured the brunette to most of the worst antics of the feminine kind. Thanks to all the crazy bitch fests and intensive bullying that had happened around her with frightening regularity in her youth, she had quickly learned to rise above it all, clinging firmly to her own distinctive personality and willpower where others had failed, literally belonging in the 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me' type of people that are notoriously difficult to put down.

In short, Galatea and her insults might have meant the world to some socialites and noblewomen, but since she carried no threat towards Haru's friends/Family/those she cared for, they were rarely given a second thought by the Royal Consort.

"You are right of course, Mortigor-san," Haru agreed. "But I just don't think that she's trying very hard, that's all."

The butler frowned slightly at his mistress' overly forgiving nature.

"The Marquise de Fronsac's caution is for good reason, Princess. His Highness is a highly volatile individual who does not respond well to manipulative wiles." In other words, the other blonde knew better than to throw herself recklessly at Belphegor especially when the man had already indicated as much his disinterest in her. To do otherwise would be akin to tossing one's sense of self-preservation to the wind and actively baiting an agitated tiger; after all, the assassin Prince was rather well known to react with violence when irritated.

The only known individual who had gotten away unscathed even after deliberately provoking Belphegor's temper was Haru, and even then, it appeared to Mortigor that the brunette did not seem to realize just how special she was in that regard. But the Princess was hardly as oblivious as she seemed to appear at times (she was highly intelligent and the butler suspected that she often downplayed her intellect for the benefit of those around her), so it was more likely that she just did not think it was much of a big deal to be able to manage a notoriously temperamental husband daily and not suffer too much for it. Surely there were much more difficult spouses that other people had to cope with, weren't there?

Besides, Belphegor was not a bad husband. He wasn't physically abusive (he liked to yell a lot though), he did not go around soliciting other women (they were the ones who ran after him instead), and most importantly of all, he gave her the freedom she needed (most of the time, that was). He did not smother her with overwhelming concern nor did he tend to hover over her like she was somebody who constantly needed care and attention, and she was also extremely thankful that he did not seek to change her, even when some of her quirks did seem to irritate him something fierce. Just for those reasons alone, Haru loved Belphegor more than anything in the world, and even if he was a violent, possessive Prince with all sorts of personality issues and hell of a lot of baggage in the form of a country full of meddling, manipulative aristocrats, she would not trade him for anyone else even if she could.

As such, the brunette was practical enough to understand that it was imperative for her to establish a good relationship with her husband's peers regardless of what he actually thought of them, and even if they didn't like her; well, she wasn't about to just go away no matter what they thought of her, so they might as well start to figure out a way to at least coexist peacefully for the long years ahead.

"I can't stop Galatea-san from doing what she wants," Haru admitted softly. "Galatea-san can do as much or as little as she wants, but ultimately, it is Bel who decides whether or not to be affected by her. I cannot control that; it is Bel's choice to make. I can only trust that he will do the right thing."

Despite her calm and quiet admission, it was not difficult to detect the faith that the Princess had in her husband, which was quite the feat since the man in question was a rather erratic and unpredictable individual at times. That she was still able to exhibit such honestly given trust for her significant other was a credit to her naturally optimistic nature as well as the degree of her affection for him, and the stoic butler could not fault his mistress for her loyalty. It was not easy to overcome one's instinctive jealousy and clingy covetousness in the name of love—it seemed that there was only a small percentage of women who seemed capable of such self-control—and it made Mortigor quietly proud to understand that his mistress belonged to that precious number of females.

"Besides, I really think that it will be nice to make a new friend," Haru continued to murmur almost absentmindedly to herself. "I have few female friends as it is, and Galatea-san did look like she could use one as well."

If Belphegor was present, the blonde would have snorted under his breath and muttered rather rudely that 'Galatea-san' looked more like she needed an air ticket to get her ass off of Italy. The woman had been wholly unwelcome at the Varia castle, and that was really no surprise. The other Commanders mostly ignored her—Squalo-san was particularly irritated by her presence though, and Xanxus had called Belphegor into his office one day and had told the blonde in no uncertain terms just what he thought of the entire situation. Not surprisingly, the leader of the assassination unit had not been impressed; in other words, Galatea was more or less completely isolated from the entire Varia even as she took residence in the castle, and Haru felt quite sorry for the poor woman.

She had, after all, been in the latter's shoes a little less than a year ago; brought to stay in an entirely foreign place and surrounded by strangers—exceptionally dangerous strangers, if she might so add—and it was only due to the fact that she was part of the Famiglia that she had received a much warmer reception compared to Galatea, even if Belphegor had been something of an ass to her back then. They had eventually sorted things out by themselves, but Haru could guess how much worse it could have been for her if not for the support and non-hostility that had been extended towards her by the rest of the Varia members.

It was not difficult to put herself in the noblewoman's shoes, and Haru had always been quite a sympathetic creature by nature. Therefore, she had been trying to reach out to the proud woman though Galatea was not proving to be particularly responsive towards her so far. But it had only been a week, and Haru was hopefully optimistic that the Marquise would come around eventually. Belphegor, of course, did not care one way or another about his fellow aristocrat, and although he was rather disgusted with his wife's 'goody goody' behavior, he couldn't be bothered to tell her what she could or could not do, and so Haru was pretty much free to befriend the other female if that was what she really wanted.

Besides, the Storm Varia was kept too busy to ponder the company that his other half was keeping, thanks to the consecutive spate of assignments that he had been taking that sent him out bright and early in the mornings and gave him the excuse to return only late at nights. It would have looked terribly like he was avoiding his new wife if not for the fact that there was another woman who lived under the same roof and was attempting to get herself married to him. And now said new wife was trying her best to be buddies with 'the other woman' and since her insistent bothering of the Marquise was conveniently keeping the blonde female from actively badgering him in return, well, she was definitely more than welcome to continue her humanitarian efforts in freeing the 'poor little rich girl from her loneliness and her misunderstood behavior.'

Haru really wasn't thinking like that, of course, but Mortigor knew that his mistress was definitely kind enough to befriend Lady Galatea with all of her heart if the latter allowed it.

"Lady Galatea certainly seems quite isolated in her current circumstances, but we will be wise not to take her lightly, Your Highness. The Marquise is not what she seems."

The butler's warning implied that he knew more of the beautiful aristocrat than he was letting on, and Haru paused in her steps to regard the stoic man with inquisitive attentiveness.

"Hmm… Not what she seems?" the brunette echoed thoughtfully, remembering the niggling suspicion that prodded her the first time she saw the other woman. "I wonder… -Is Galatea-san perchance related to Bel's late mother, Mortigor-san?"

It was hardly a surprise to the butler that the Princess had asked that question. The physical resemblance between the late Queen and the Marquise de Fronsac was uncanny, and besides, violet irises were not exactly a common eye color amongst the world population; it was therefore logical to assume that there might be a familial relation between the two French women.

Mortigor nodded subtly. "Lady Galatea's dame is His Highness's second cousin, once removed, from the late Queen's side of the family. It means that Lady Galatea is a third cousin of His Highness. They share the same great-great-grandparents."

Haru frowned; she was not entirely surprised that the Marquise was distantly related to Bel, but it was still difficult to accept that the Royal Council had intended for her husband to marry his own cousin. Mortigor must have sensed what she was thinking, for the butler calmly continued.

"In Astonia, intermarriage between cousins is not illegal up to the second degree of familial relationship. Sometimes, special circumstances even permit marriages between first cousins."

The brunette was quite visibly disturbed by what she had just learned. "First cousins?" she echoed weakly even as a stray thought occurred to her. "What was the familial relationship between Bel's parents, then?"

Mortigor did not even blink as he answered unflappably.

"King Achereau and Queen Chantelle were second cousins and shared the same great-grandparents. His Majesty's grandaunt married into French nobility and Her Majesty descended from that line. As did Lady Galatea. The Royal Council might have chosen an even closer relation for a marital match if not for the rather unfortunate fact that His Highness had executed all of his direct relatives including his first cousins during the Bloodline Purge."

Belatedly, Haru found herself morbidly intrigued that they had actually coined a term just to explain away Bel's brutal act of revenge against his traitorous family members. The forefront of her thoughts, however, was busy coming to terms with the fact that her husband's family had practiced intensive inbreeding for generations, all for the sake of keeping the royal blood 'pure.' It really was a wonder that Belphegor had not turned out even crazier than he already was, not to mention that he had also miraculously escaped from contracting any genetic disorders that could have easily killed him, like hemophilia, for one.

Hailing from a country of people who had feared the hereditary patterns of genetic diseases and mental illnesses enough to pass a Eugenic Protection Law, it was no wonder that Haru was quite understandably appalled by what she had just been told.

"But the negative consequences-" Haru started to protest only for Mortigor to agree with a small nod.

"His Highness was fortunate not to have been born with any sort of debilitating genetic illnesses that would have affected his health, even though the Royal Family of Tsiveone has always rigorously practiced royal intermarriages, which is why you will find that the Tsiveone Royal Family Tree is closely tied to those of most European Royal Families. You will notice that some of the members of the other royal families are also afflicted with hereditary illnesses due to the close degree of consanguinity between their parents, and that is not as uncommon as you would think, Princess."

"Still, Bel hasn't exactly squeaked by unscathed," the brunette commented doggedly, and the butler agreed once more.

"That is true, but in Astonia, we do not consider His Highness's volatile temperament as a sign of mental illness."

Technically, it wasn't just 'a sign' of mental illness, but in actuality, it was 'several signs' that pointed to a whole slew of psychotic disorders that Belphegor seemed to be afflicted with. Haru did not understand what Mortigor was trying to say though, and therefore she waited for him to explain. And he did.

"I will elaborate, Your Highness. Before I do that though, allow me first to list down several of the Crown Prince's more defining characteristics; or at least, how his enemies see him."

Haru nodded in agreement, and Mortigor began reciting calmly.

"Aggressive. Inability to tolerate boredom. Inadequate control of temper and anger. Disregard for right and wrong. Suspiciousness and a pervasive tendency to distort experience by misconstruing the neutral or friendly actions of others as hostile or contemptuous. Manipulative. Arrogant. Self-important. Am I correct so far, Your Highness?"

By then, Haru's mouth had dropped wide open in pure shock from listening to the stanchly loyal, above reproach butler speak ill of his master. Mortigor had always been exceptionally supportive of his Crown Prince and until today, the brunette had never witnessed the middle-aged man badmouth Belphegor before. She would have thought that such an occurrence would never happen even if hell froze over, if not for what she had just heard moments ago—even if what Mortigor had done was just speak the truth.

Haru at last managed to pick her jaw back from the ground with much difficulty, and a small, indignant frown forming on her brow quickly told the butler just what she thought of the matter. "You may be right," the brunette acknowledged Mortigor's question at last in a flustered, slightly upset manner. "But you are not allowed to say such things of Bel, Mortigor-san."

The crisp tone of the smaller brunette made it clear that she fully expected to receive an agreement out of the older man, and when he took a tad too long to reply (having been pleasantly surprised by the plucky female's immediate, loyal defense of her husband), she started to scowl at him. Haru was most definitely not amused when the stoic butler cracked a small, almost warm, smile at her instead. She stiffened further with affront.

"This is no laughing matter, Mortigor-san. You are Bel's most trusted servant and should not be saying such things behind his back." Haru looked like she was about to start lecturing Mortigor then, not sure what was wrong with the man today.

"At ease, Your Highness," the butler soothed before the young woman could leap at his throat, a rare twinkle of amusement gleaming in his aged, dark eyes, much to Haru's exasperation. "I did not mean to insult. Will you believe me if I say that these traits I have mentioned have always been traditionally expected, most even actively desired, from all Astonian monarchs?"

Haru paused at that, having not expected such a reply. "Huh?" she could only utter eloquently at last, thoroughly confused. There was something insistent tickling at the back of her mind though, something elusive that she should remember about what Mortigor had just said- "But those aren't even-"

Mortigor inclined his head sedately.

"You are right, Your Highness. Those traits are exceptionally uncommon in typical democratic heads of governments, downright undesirable, in fact. But Astonia is not a democratic state; she is ruled by absolute monarchy and plutocracy, and a weak willed leader will only bring the country to ruin. As King, His Highness' aggression and ambition will serve as an advantage in leading the country; it is a tried and tested method that has been repeatedly proven by all the past generations of Tsiveone monarchs."

Haru shook her head. "No, that's not what I wanted to say," the brunette muttered, her brow furrowed as she tried to grasp the near intangible recognition that eluded her. "What you mentioned earlier was very familiar—those traits—I mean, I have heard them before somewhere. I took criminal psychology as a general elective when I was still studying back in Todai and-"

She broke off abruptly, her eyes widening slightly as she suddenly remembered.

"Those are the signs and symptoms of various personality disorders," Haru whispered, astonished that she was applying what she had learned to her own husband. Back then, she had taken the course because she had thought that it would be a useful supplementary for when she had to go on assignments on behalf of her Family, only that she had never quite gotten the chance to interact with any dangerous individuals (except the Varia) because Tsuna had been mostly successful in keeping her safely out of harm's way.

It was certainly quite an unexpected surprise now that she was using her hard earned knowledge to profile Belphegor, of all people. She had never attempted to psychoanalyze Bel before, and to be honest, she really didn't want to either. Bel was Bel, quirks, complications, and all, and of course she was aware that he wasn't all that sane compared to most people, but she still loved him enough that it didn't matter to her at all, and therefore she had never tried to identify the various traits that made him a veritable basket case at times.

Of course, Mortigor was making it quite difficult for Haru to remain blissfully ignorant now.

Once again, the butler nodded his head once in agreement, impressed by the Princess' knowledge.

"Can you identify them, Your Highness?"

Haru was quite reluctant to do so for rather obvious reasons, but at last, she replied, albeit uncomfortably so.

"He definitely has antisocial personality disorder," the brunette started out in a low murmur, combining what she knew of Belphegor and her own theoretical knowledge on criminal psychology to form her answer. "Also, paranoia personality disorder. Narcissistic personality disorder too. And maybe histrionic personality disorder as well, I think."

That was a lot of personality disorders to consider, and Haru was instinctively compelled to defend her husband. "But in Bel's defense, I do not believe that he belongs to the extreme categories of those disorders."

"No, of course he does not," Mortigor agreed. "His Highness is not defined by lunacy. He is in complete control of himself; his various affectations do not put him in danger to himself, nor to others unless he consciously wills it to be so. He is a bit more antisocial than the Council is comfortable with, but they are more or less tolerant of his quirks as a whole."

Haru was struggling to understand what the butler was actually saying all this time. "Mortigor-san, are you trying to tell me that mental instability is an encouraged trait in Bel's family?"

She sounded downright disbelieving, was encountering great difficulties coming to terms with how messed up the Tsiveone Royal Family was—it was no wonder that Bel was the last of that line.

"No, Your Highness, that's not exactly it. It is an unfortunate coincidence that the individual traits that had always been traditionally prized by the Tsiveone Royals also happen to be the symptoms of various mental disorders."

Haru just looked plain incredulous, and the middle aged man decided to elaborate. "We are all a little insane; don't you agree? And what is the definition of insanity? It is this; a relative permanent disorder of the mind, a spectrum of behavior characterized by certain abnormal or behavioral patterns. In excess, it is wholly unhealthy, but in controlled amounts, controlled madness; do you know what that is?"

Haru had no idea, and the look on her face said as much. She was caught by Mortigor's compelling explanation though, and therefore she waited for him to give her an answer. And he did.

"_Power_. It is power, Your Highness, and _that_ is why the Tsiveone monarchs so highly prize those traits."

"…Oh," Haru breathed out at last, the strangest look on her face. She did not know what else to say, and morbidly enough, it made a sick sort of sense. Haru started to wonder if she might be a little not-so-sane herself, if she could somehow agree with Mortigor's point, up to only a certain level, that was.

"Of course," Mortigor continued. "For optimum results, it should best be coupled with great intelligence, hence the term 'mad genius,' no? After all, craziness and stupidity never ends well, wouldn't you agree?"

Haru could not help but smile a bit at that light remark, even as she was still somewhat affected by the unspoken implication that her husband had been born as a result of generations of careful, selective breeding, not to mention the eugenics that had been applied to his entire family tree. She was also beginning to understand another reason why the Royal Council was so upset by Belphegor's marriage to her; it was quite entirely possible that the addition of her genes into the future Astonian monarchs might just undo the past generations of painstaking trait selection that had been specifically picked to protect and strengthen the Tsiveone bloodline.

"Galatea-san's bloodline must be impeccable for her to be chosen as a prospective bride," Haru commented at last, and it was not difficult for the butler to see the mild hint of doubt in the Princess' gaze. It was also rather apparent to Mortigor the reason for her worry.

"Lady Galatea is a purebred aristocrat," the older man confirmed. "But as with the case of His Highness' family, the de Fronsac family is highly inbred and suffers from its own share of genetic problems, so there is no need to sell yourself short, Your Highness. You are a very healthy and intelligent young woman, and I have no doubt that the future Tsiveone Princes and Princesses will be nothing but the best of both of their parents if not even more, hybrid vigor and all."

It was what Haru needed to hear, for the brunette all but felt something within her slowly relax with relief at the firm assurance. Of course they must have performed a complete background check on her before deeming her a suitable match for Bel, though disquietingly enough, Haru wondered what would have happened if she had proven to be incompatible. She shivered inwardly and brushed the thought away, not wanting to think too much of it.

Haru shook her head slightly.

"Thanks, Mortigor-san. I seemed to have lost my confidence for a bit just now."

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness," the butler replied with unflinching solemnity. "You are His Highness' most favored companion and the future mother of his heirs. It is the duty of we servants to assuage your worries and protect you from harm."

There was no doubt in Haru's mind that the loyal butler truly meant everything he said. This time, Haru's smile wordlessly conveyed her gratitude. Thank goodness for Mortigor-san; if not for his constant, patient, guidance, she was quite certain that she would have been hopelessly lost in the royal scheme of things. At least Belphegor had the good sense to attach his butler to her before he ran off to fulfill his assignments; if not she would have been constantly confused and bewildered by the strange reasoning of the upper class.

"Well, can I at least mention that you are definitely worth your weight in gold, Mortigor-san?" Haru quipped lightheartedly, starting to feel a bit more like her usual self as she shelved away the darker information about her new family that she had just learned today in the recesses of her mind, quickly deciding that she would only retain the necessary data for knowledge and would not dwell on it any longer. "I hope Bel is paying you well for your efforts at least."

"Indeed, he is. His Highness has always been more than generous in rewarding the loyalty of his servants..."

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

We all know that Belphegor can be mad as a hatter sometimes, so it's not surprising that a brief study into his temperament and characteristics would immediately throw up red flags when it comes to various social behaviours and conducts. For those who are curious, here is a brief description of the personality disorders that had been listed in this chapter, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Antisocial personality disorder: a pervasive patter of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.

Paranoia personality disorder: a pervasive, long-standing suspiciousness and generalized mistrust of others.

Narcissistic personality disorder: in which an individual is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity.

Histrionic personality disorder: a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriately seductive behavior, usually beginning in early adulthood. Associated features may include egocentrism, self-indulgence, continuous longing for appreciation, and persistent manipulative behavior to achieve their own needs.

Fits Belphegor to a t, won't you agree? …yes, I did some research out of idle curiosity and dug these out. I have always had a somewhat morbid interest in reading up on the psychological profiles of serial killers when I have nothing better to do sometimes, so this was quite an interesting discovery.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Todai is the abbreviation for the University of Tokyo, Haru's alma mater in this fic.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

If I remember correctly, it has been mentioned before in canon-verse that Haru studied in an all girls' high school. As a result, I'd also boldly assume that she would have her own ways of dealing with the antics of the craftily devious, feminine kind.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Hemophilia is a group of genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. It features in European royalty and is sometimes known as 'the royal disease.'

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Yes, Belphegor and Galatea are distant cousins. I'm aware that it is rare for European nobility to hang on to the out-dated custom of blood marrying blood in present time, but let's just assume that Belphegor's country is still very much steeped in tradition and therefore still very much believe in the eugenics achieved from such unions.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, thank you all for the wonderful show of support and encouragement even after my hiatus. I was simply blown away by all your generous feedbacks and warm welcomes. Hope that this chapter didn't disappoint! Until next week, everyone!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	45. Chapter 45

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5089

**Rating: **M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 09/12/11

* * *

**Chapter Forty Five**

* * *

"Oh, you are awake?" Belphegor remarked to the semidarkness as he climbed into bed, his hair still damp from his shower. It was quite late even by the blonde's standards; nearly three in the morning in fact, and it was certainly a surprise that the wife was not asleep like she usually was. After all, she normally belonged to the category of early risers, just like those drab little brown birds that he nicknamed her after.

Haru sat up slowly in bed, her hair tousled and her expression one of sleepy-eyed confusion. It was the truth that she had dozed off earlier that evening whilst waiting for her husband's return, and a squint at the clock on the bedside table quickly made her feel quite thankful that she had nodded off after all. It was so early in the morning that she didn't quite understand how Belphegor could stand keeping such odd hours. The brunette rubbed her eyes with a fist, attempting to appear a bit more awake. She ended up masking a large yawn behind her hand instead.

"…did you just come in?" she asked offhandedly, her voice husky from sleep. She stretched languidly before blinking lazily at Bel, watching him owlishly as he got under the covers and reached for her. She did not resist his advances; if anything, she melted instinctively into his hold, purring quietly with idle contentment as he kissed her neck before moving down slightly to nibble on the her clavicle. She shivered slightly with the pleasure of his touch, her eyes sliding shut even as she nuzzled him affectionately in return, her fingers brushing tenderly against his temple, gently caressing his hair and the side of his jaw.

He mumbled something that she did not quite catch, but by now Haru was more or less acquainted with the various inflections that reflected his myriad moods, and had taught herself to at least be able to decipher the vague nuances of his unintelligible mutterings.

"Uhhmm…" she hummed softly even as he pressed her back onto the bed, his hands snaking under her nightshirt, long fingers stroking the silky curve of her hips, his lips forging a wet, feverish path down her neck. "Have you eaten already…? I asked Francesca-san to prepare supper, but…" She was quickly distracted when he tugged her panties down to her knees with a sharp, impatient jerk, and lost her train of thought completely when he slowly rubbed those callused, masculine fingers against the soft, slowly moistening flesh between her thighs. A small, quiet moan escaped her lips when he dipped a finger into her aroused body, and her delicate features started to flush a warm, familiar, pink. When she opened her eyes; those doe brown depths were limpid and soulful with sensual desire, even as her sleek passage rippled helplessly around him.

It was definitely the sort of 'welcome home' greeting that Belphegor would not mind receiving as often as he could.

"I'm hungry, but not for food," he told her in a rough growl, and even through the long golden fringe that obscured his eyes, it was not difficult to see the stark lust that showed in his intent expression, that he did not even bother to hide. Her eyes darkened further and she licked her lips, then she leaned forward slightly and kissed the side of his mouth.

"…I think I can fix that," she told him with a small, suggestive lilt in her voice, her fingers gently stroking the side of his face with unconcealed affection, her body lying pliant and willing under his. She had missed him; he had been on assignments almost continuously ever since they came back from The Bahamas and needless to say, they had had very little time to spend together as a result, what with the unceasing flow of his missions as well as the various problems posed by his royal advisors. As such, Haru was truly glad to be on the receiving end of her husband's attention, and she was not at all shy to show it this time.

The golden-haired Prince rumbled with pleasure at her ready agreement, ducking his head towards the curve of her neck and latching his mouth against the slender column of her throat, kissing and vigorously sucking at the sweet smelling patch of skin there. She let him, her hand sliding over his shoulder and lazily stroking up and down the length of his sleek, muscular back, quietly basking in the pleasure of his touch. She squirmed slightly under him to get into a more comfortable position, only settling down when she had finally managed to wriggle out of her panties and align their bodies together in a familiarly intimate fashion. A small sigh escaped from her parted lips when his hand ghosted across her stomach, his fingers running over the soft skin before moving further upwards, palming her bare breast with masculine possession. She arched into his warm hand like a feline, openly approving and craving more of his touch, and he was more than happy to oblige.

He tugged her nightshirt up around her shoulders and swiftly over her head before sinking back down and covering her body with his own. She parted her legs and drew up her knees around his lean hips, allowing him to settle himself between her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew herself closer to him, dropping soft kisses onto the side of his face and amongst his beautiful golden hair. He continued to latch firmly onto the side of her throat, sucking and nibbling on the sensitive skin with ardent enthusiasm. Haru moaned softly, her flanks quivering as her husband slipped another finger into her at the same time and started to move them in and out of her snug, rippling sheathe. She squeezed her legs around him instinctively, bucking into his hand, a small gasp escaping her as he rubbed the little bud of her clitoris in tandem to the movements of his long, narrow digits. She dug her nails into his back, straining against him, her body submitting with such natural, innate fervor to his sensual, knowing ministrations. He squeezed her breast subtly and then played with her nipples, circling and tweaking the soft pink, sensitive flesh of her areola, wringing delighted shivers from her lithe frame.

She whispered his name like a reverent prayer, her fingers uncurling shakily from the back of his taut shoulder to run haphazardly through the dark golden strands of his drying hair. She licked her lips, then brought her mouth close to his ear. "I want you _now_, Bel," she told him in a hitched tone, and he must have agreed for he slipped his dampened fingers out of her and quickly aligned his erection to the entrance of her snug, sleek channel. He was already hard and aroused, throbbing with unfulfilled lust and the promise of sliding home into her tight, welcoming body. She stilled under him, eyelids fluttering close, her long lashes concealing the dark, dewy expression in her eyes, her slender frame trembling finely with anticipation as he pushed into her with little preamble.

Haru reveled in the deliciously decadent friction, pleasure igniting slowly on her highly sensitive nerve endings as he continued to fill her with his turgid length. She emitted a soft whimper and instinctively wrapped her legs around his middle, eager for more. He didn't stop until he was completely hilted within the clenching velvet of her inner passage, groaning huskily against her bared neck when he could go no further. He bit down on the skin right over her clavicle that he had been tending to all this while, and she shivered at the arousing sensation, her taut inner muscles rippling rhythmically around him in helpless response.

Belphegor growled and started to move, narrow hips withdrawing sharply only to sink quickly, roughly, back into her, not that she minded it very much, judging by the soft gasps of pleasure that slipped from her parted lips, the urgent way she squeezed his waist with her thighs. Ravenous passion took over quickly; he repeated the instinctive motions again and again for as often as needed, pinning her down to the bed and rocking hard against the mesmerizing softness of her body, and she moved right along with him, a perfectly obliging partner in this dance as old as Time. He nibbled a wet, distracting path from her neck to her mouth, at last catching her petal soft lips in a hungry, almost bruising, kiss, and she matched his carnal fervor with her own sweetly addictive brand of enthusiasm, her guileless, genuine reaction never failing to make something within him purr with primal, masculine, satisfaction. He was rough and hard where she was extremely gentle and giving, and he could not seem to get enough of her at all.

He caged her in with his body, his hand moving down her soft, willowy body to cup her firm, little bottom, pressing her even closer to him and lodging himself even deeper within her, and she moaned her pleasure into his ear, the soft, erotic sound a definite turn on for him. He was acutely aware of her body's responses to his stimulus, could feel how her pelvic muscles were clamping down hard around his erection, trying to milk him of everything he had to give, the resulting sensation making him lightheaded with unspent lust. She soon grew very near to completion, struggling under him and raising her hips to his in answering desperation, panting slightly, her cheek pressed against his, her hand running restlessly over his back, then his shoulder, bicep, until at last, he simply caught it with one of his own and held it down on the pillow adjacent to her head. She quickly entwined their fingers together, clinging onto him for dear life even as their movements became jerkier and more frenzied, straining hard against him as orgasm started to take hold of her.

Haru turned her face into his and distractedly brushed her lips against his cheek, his jaw, anywhere she could reach, with fervent affection. He did not seem to register her actions at first, and had appeared more intently focused on the sexual gratification that he derived from her, plundering her willing body with sure, swift strokes, his whipcord frame tense with impending climax, the expression on his face stark with lust and pleasure. Through the blinding haze of passion, he eventually became aware of her gentle acts of intimacy, and he turned to her, lowering his head and catching her rosy mouth with his own, kissing her hard, swallowing her muffled sob of fulfillment when she went taut under him, coming completely apart in his arms. The exquisite sensation of her inner passage contracting and rippling uncontrollably around him made him bare his teeth slightly with mindless pleasure, and the blonde surged hard into his mate one last time, arching his hips fully against her soft, welcoming loins and holding himself there as her orgasm quickly precipitated his own.

Pinned to the bed by her husband's heavier form, Haru struggled to catch her breath. She looked rather flushed and as always, her limbs were trembling in the aftermath of their coupling. She could hardly think straight at all; her senses were shot to an all-time high thanks to the injection of endorphins into her system as a result of their lovemaking and Haru could feel her whole body still _tingling_ from the orgasm that he had just given her. Bel was still firmly sheathed within her, the pulsing warmth of his essence coating her womb as he shuddered and continued to empty himself inside of her and slowly, Haru started to purr.

The small female rubbed her lover's back soothingly and tenderly nuzzled the side of his face, exuding contentment and satisfaction even as she patiently waited for him to finish up with his own climax. She peppered his jaw and mouth with small, intimate kisses and tried to untangle her other hand from his to be allowed to touch him, but he tightened his grip on her and refused to let her disengage from him, and she quickly quit trying in favor of becoming more enthusiastic in demonstrating just how happy she was to have him back by her side.

"Welcome home," she breathed shyly into his ear, rubbing her nose against his cheek.

Belphegor grunted and lowered his head towards her neck once more, his lips brushing against his favorite spot on her person before he latched onto it and gently suckled. Haru relaxed under him, enjoying the unique way he bonded to her, her eyes fluttering shut as she became boneless once more, basking in the post coital bliss. Her hand reached up to his hair to gently finger the burnished golden strands, and he rumbled with pleasure, gruffly nosing at her jaw line with returning affection.

Haru smothered a yawn. She felt warm and safe and cosseted around him and was more than willing to lie back and just let him do whatever he wanted. The comfortable silence did not faze her; in fact, she was beginning to feel more than ready to slip back into sleep once more, simply exhausted by their vigorous activity as well as the ungodly hour of the morning. She was about to drift off in a doze when he shifted, withdrawing from her reluctantly to lie beside her instead, and the displaced warmth from his body was quickly replaced by the cool early morning air, causing her to shiver slightly in protest. Haru immediately attempted to burrow under the covers and would have sleepily cocooned herself within the cozy fabric if not for the fact that he had tucked her into his side first and then tossed the comforter over the both of them. So, she curled instinctively into him instead, hiding her face against his shoulder and quite happily leeching from his body heat, quickly falling into a deeper slumber.

Hazily, she thought that she heard him chuckle softly on her way out, and after some movement from Bel's part, had felt something settle lightly around her neck, but she had been so sleepy that she could not seem to pry open her eyes to see what he was up to—nor did she really want to. Besides, she had been more than content to remain where she was, and had at last fallen into a deep, restful sleep in her husband's arms.

By the time she woke up again much later that morning, Belphegor was long gone and she was left all alone in their bed. She would have doubted that he had even returned at all if not for the fact that a) she was stark naked and pleasantly sore in places that she hadn't been the night before, and, b) she had found herself wearing a thin silver chain with a slender platinum ring as a pendent—jewelry that she had never seen before, let alone worn to bed the previous evening. The brunette had spent the longest time examining the ring when she first felt the weight of it around her neck.

It was a simple, almost unremarkable, band that hung on a long, delicate chain and had rested right between her breasts, beside her heart like she had clearly requested. Surprisingly enough, it was not opulently studded with precious gems like she had almost expected it to be—at least, it wasn't outwardly so. The inner rim of the ring was an entirely different story, however. Haru had been stunned to see the intricate details that had been painstakingly etched onto the priceless metal, elegant swirls and delicate, intertwining cursives that decorated the narrow strip, not to mention the minuscule, tiny, little diamonds that had been embedded completely into the inner surface of the platinum, that formed a beautifully intricate design when light fell onto the deceptively plain-looking jewelry at a specific angle.

The resulting exquisite craftsmanship that had been formed through the skillful combination of delicate etchings and precise placements of precious gems bore a familiar, miniature pattern that she vaguely recognized but had never actually seen before. It had looked somewhat similar to Belphegor's personal coat of arms, with a heraldic arrangement but consisting of a lozenge border, and that was all that she could make out—any further details were just too small for her to properly discern, and if she still wasn't sure that the ring had been gifted to her by her husband, then the royal design had all but confirmed it.

Subtlety and Belphegor did not go hand in hand after all, and with fond exasperation, Haru decided that she should be thankful that at least he had tried—and had met some of her requirements, even if not exactly word for word. To be perfectly honest, she was surprised that he had accommodated her request for something less flashy than the priceless heirloom wedding ring that he had put on her finger, and had actually made the plans to acquire a _relatively_ simpler wedding band for her like he had promised he would. Of course, he had often liked to boast that he never lied about his promises, so she really shouldn't be that surprised that he had come through with his end of the deal. Looking at the sheer amount _and_ degree of artistry that had been invested into the tiny, limited space on the inner rim of the platinum band, Haru could now legitimately guess the reason why it had taken so long for him to procure it; long enough that she had assumed he had most likely chosen to deliberately forget about his promise to her.

He would be quite rightfully offended if he knew of her appalling lack of confidence in him, even if in her defense, she did trust him fully and knew that he would come through for her when it came to matters that were truly critical and of life and death import. It was just that she did not harbor as high expectations of him when it came to the more mundane, smaller tasks that he more often than not saw as annoying inconveniences. Taking care of tiny little details was not exactly her husband's forte, after all. That's what the servants were for, and those men and women in question were always more than willing to serve their Prince's various demands/idiosyncrasies, no matter how small or insignificant they might be.

Not that Haru thought their marriage was inconsequential or minor, but the matter of the ring was simply not important enough that she would lose much sleep over it even if she did not get what she wanted. The ring was material, inconsequential, minor, but _not_ their marriage, and besides, she had to admit that she had more or less expected to have to nag at Bel for a few separate occasions until he finally got over his selective memory and gave her what she wanted.

As such, Haru really could not be blamed for the mistaken conclusion that she had drawn against her infamously recalcitrant spouse, though her sound reasoning did not make the mild guilt go away any faster. He had surpassed her admittedly humble expectations of him, and the brunette quickly resolved to make it up to Bel the next time she saw him.

Doe brown eyes were soft with affection as she finally left their bed to go through the motions of her morning rituals, and she was kept rather distracted the whole time, fondly fingering the precious gift that her husband had given to her. It was an excellent start to the day, in her humble opinion. The stunningly complex and meticulously detailed carvings of the outwardly simple looking ring continued to awe her with its amazing workmanship by the time she reemerged from the bathroom, but she was more awake by then and quite determined to solve the puzzle of the unfamiliar etchings as soon as she possibly could.

But first, Haru had every intention of having breakfast, or rather, brunch, judging by the time of the day. She enjoyed a hearty meal alone in the dining room, courtesy of the kitchen staff, and her good mood was apparent enough even to Francesca, who had been personally serving her mistress ever since she became Princess Consort.

The housekeeper had commented on the younger woman's cheerier than usual temperament with a small, quiet smile of her own, and Haru had beamed almost shyly in acknowledgement of the accurate remark. There was no doubt in the mind of the royal servant that the Crown Prince had been the reason behind his mate's contentment, and her assumption was quickly proven to be right on the dot when one of the maids came by with a cordless phone and relaying a message that His Royal Highness was on the line and that he expected to speak to his Consort immediately. The way Haru's face had lit up with unrestrained eagerness as she accepted the phone from the maid had said just about everything.

Ah, to be young and in love. Francesca directed a mild, knowing look at the new Princess before she faded to obscurity at the corner of the room with an expert ease borne from decades of practice, granting her mistress the privacy required to speak to her husband.

"Hello?" Haru spoke into the phone after she hastily swallowed the portion of omelet that she had placed into her mouth prior to Bel's call, though she still sounded somewhat muffled despite her best efforts.

"Tut, tut. Just woke up and already busy stuffing your face?" The sly, amusement on the other end of the line was unmistakably familiar, and Haru shivered inwardly with pleasure at hearing her lover's voice even as she scowled indignantly at his remark.

"It's breakfast and I'm not stuffing my face," she denied, and just to show that she did not care about what he thought of her eating habits, she proceeded to take another huge bite out of her omelet, chewing vigorously and swallowing with relish. The food was really good, Haru thought absently. She would have to remember to ask Francesca to relay her praise to the castle cook later.

Her husband chuckled softly, apparently aware of her defiant actions—for her, that was. There was a brief silence as Haru ate her meal, and his side of the transmission was quiet, surprisingly so.

"Where are you?" she asked at last, mild curiosity in her voice. It wasn't often that he would call whilst on missions, so she was definitely wondering what he was up to.

He didn't answer her at first, and she only heard his quiet, steady breathing. Then, he replied.

"I'm inside a car," he told her shortly, not particularly interested in the direction that the conversation was heading, and so, he changed it. "Aren't you supposed to be telling me something, my sparrow?"

It was rather apparent to Haru what her husband was fishing for. He was about as subtle as a freight train, after all. The brunette thought that he was certainly being rather over presumptuous about the whole matter, but even so, her hand still crept to the opening of the collared shirt that she was wearing; her fingers brushing against the skin-warmed metal that now lay securely in its place beside her heart.

Still, she wasn't about to make it so easy for him.

"Whatever are you talking about, Bel?" she asked innocently, feigning complete and utter ignorance. "Am I supposed to be telling you something?"

She had parroted his words back to him with a hint of sauciness in her light voice, and he would have had to be an absolute idiot not to know that she was teasing. It was apparent that she felt safe enough to tweak his temper since he was not in the vicinity to exact retribution, but much to her surprise, he did not rise to take the bait.

"You do remember that I will be returning tonight, hmm?" he informed her with _almost_ conversational pleasantness, and she grimaced with exasperation. He could have at least played along for a bit, but then again, he rarely did things just because other people wanted him to and this time was no different.

"You are no fun," she told him in a mutter, and he snorted under his breath.

"I don't do 'fun' through the phone," Belphegor retorted derisively before his voice lowered, became slightly suggestive. "Not this kind of 'fun,' at least, so unless you want to have a go at that..."

Haru's eyes widened slightly in alarm. Face turning red, the brunette glanced quickly at Francesca, who had been standing less than two meters away the entire while and was looking as dignified as could be. The matronly female had to be around the age of Haru's own mother if the latter was still alive, and the fact that the royal housekeeper had also been the closest thing that Bel had to a maternal substitute had not been lost to Haru either.

"Bel" she hissed, abjectly mortified. "I'm in the presence of company! Can you think of something else besides _that_?"

"No, not really," he sounded quite amused on the other end of the line. "When the day comes that I'm no longer interested in you, then you had better call the undertaker, because I'd most probably be dead."

By then, Haru's blush was simply unmistakable to everyone within the dining room. It was just like Bel to give out such careless, offhanded compliments to her and still manage to sound so completely casual in the process, and not surprisingly, she was always caught flatfooted whenever he did that.

Haru shook her head. "You are definitely not allowed to die on me anytime soon," she told him quite firmly. "You still owe me years—no, decades—of marital bliss and you are not going anywhere until you give me all of that." Haru paused, and then continued in a softer tone. "The ring was a good start."

"What; the family heirloom? You finally realized how priceless it is?" he retorted, and she scowled.

"You know which ring I was talking about," she insisted, and he did not attempt to deny her charge.

"Indeed," the Varia Storm Unit Commander purred through the phone. "So, after this merry round of useless pleasantries, we are now back to our initial topic; you are still supposed to tell me something, hmm, my little wife?"

He was right, but at the same time, he sounded so needlessly smug that Haru was completely reluctant to give in to him. It was a rather juvenile reaction but his quasi-playful demeanor easily brought out the child in her. Of course, there was also the fact that Haru was always more than willing to go against her arrogant husband just out of sheer principle alone, whenever an opportunity struck.

"Well…" the brunette drew out deliberately, her tone light and airy, her eyes dancing with impish mischief. "You will have to tell me what you want me to say, because I really have no idea what you want. Perhaps you should clarify when you get home, _dearling_."

He huffed a quiet chuckle at her saccharine endearment. "I dare you to call me that tonight," he replied simply. "We can even make a game out of it; meek little housewife gives hardworking husband some much needed lovin-"

"Bel!" Haru yelped once more, blushing furiously with embarrassment. "That sounds like something straight out of a pornographic magazine!"

"Why, yes, sex is notoriously known to be explicitly pornographic in nature-"

The brunette groaned aloud, admitting defeat. "Alright, stop already! You win, you great pervert," she muttered disgruntledly. In response, the blonde radiated so much masculine amusement that he didn't have to say anything to show it.

"You are being ridiculously modest," he remarked silkily, and she could clearly picture the careless grin on his face as he said that.

"Well, I have to compensate for your appalling shamelessness," she retorted tartly. The assassin Prince snorted under his breath.

"I will show you shameless," he muttered back, but without much heat. Haru started to look exasperated then.

"About the ring," she changed the topic abruptly, swerving back to what they were speaking of earlier. "A plain, simple band would have sufficed, you know that, right? I didn't really need all the other additional decorations-"

"You may not need it, but you are getting it all the same," he cut in with a tone that brooked for no argument.

"-but I appreciate it all the same," Haru finished with an inward eye roll at his impatient demeanor. "It is very pretty-"

"After all the money I spent, it only merited a 'pretty,'" he deadpanned.

"-the design and etchings were very unique," Haru ploughed on, pointedly ignoring her husband's unwanted commentary. "I don't recognize the coat of arms depicted though…"

"Of course you don't," he remarked rather bluntly. "This particular royal crest has only been recently created specially for the current Princess Consort."

Current Princess Consort…

Haru sported a surprised look.

"That's me," she pointed out. Suddenly, the coat of arms completely studded into the inside of her ring with the smallest of melee diamonds had become a lot more interesting than before. The brunette eyed the regal heraldry with no small amount of wonder. Never in her life had she thought that she would have something like this to call her own, and the fact that Belphegor had it specially designed for her made it all the more amazing.

"What does it mean?" she asked at last, at the same time gently tracing the outline of the ring with her finger. The coat of arms of all noble peerage possessed their own distinctive meanings and mottos that reflected the traits and values of their respective families, and Bel's was no different. She could vaguely see the overall design that marked her a member of her husband's royal household, though the intricate little details that made the shield uniquely hers completely eluded her vision and comprehension.

"Have Mortigor explain it to you," the blonde replied. "He knows everything; he helped designed your coat of arms, after all. But if you insist on knowing the basic meaning…"

"Yes?" Haru was very interested to know, the curiosity in her voice unmistakable.

Belphegor chuckled softly.

"It means that you belong to me from now on."

* * *

_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Well, this chapter is pretty much self-explanatory. As requested, a bit of BelHaru love, okay, a lot of BelHaru love, as well as some peaceful, lulling calm before the proverbial storm and the you-know-what hits the fan.

Belphegor is being quite the doting, indulging husband, and although I'm not really sure how it ended up this way, I find that it does suits him.

Of course, I also might just be biased, haha.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

At the time of this chapter's posting, 'Of Sparrows and Princes' has just reached over 700 reviews. That is frankly amazing. Thanks to all the readers who have made this possible!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	46. Chapter 46

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5684

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/12/11

* * *

**Chapter Forty Six**

* * *

"Have you been to Florence already, Galatea-san? I have only recently had the chance to visit and it was one of the loveliest places that I have ever been," Haru enthused with undisguised cheerfulness when she met the other woman for tea that afternoon. "If you wish it, I'm sure we can arrange a little trip there this weekend-"

"That is not necessary, Royal Consort," the golden-haired Marquise cut in coolly before the younger female could attempt to get even more familiar with her. "I have no interest in Italy and sightseeing is not the main agenda for my visit here."

It was a blunt reminder that the blonde only came with the main purpose of marrying Belphegor, but Haru did not seem particularly affected by the pointed statement. If anything, the brunette was growing quite used to the Marquise's frequent, deliberate attempts to discourage any sort of friendship from tentatively forming between the two of them, and the latter often did it by bringing up her intention of becoming Belphegor's Queen. Restarting the already lagging conversation had certainly been awkward the first few times Galatea calmly mentioned that fact, but by now Haru was mostly inured to the subtle threat that the beautiful blonde posed to her own marriage and was able to continue with her mostly one-sided teatime dialogue with little trouble, even when her conversation partner was being more uncooperative than usual.

Haru was determined and convinced that she would be able to get across to Galatea as long as she persevered, and as the blonde noblewoman was beginning to find out, the deceptively mild and meek Princess Consort could be very stubborn whenever she set out to accomplish her goal. The Crown Prince did not seem to be concerned or go out of his way to restrict his bride's innocent intentions to befriend the 'enemy,' so to speak, and therefore his commoner Princess appeared to have free reign to do whatever she pleased. So far, it seemed that she was quite keen on at least being on amiable terms with the woman whom had been sent to seduce her husband into a polygamous marriage, and the fact that she was genuinely attempting to reach out to the Marquise did not surprise any of her staff or even her spouse.

It was a different story with the Marquise, though. The noblewoman regarded Haru's open nature and distinct lack of ulterior motives with jaded prejudice and wary suspicion, and that was part of the reason why Belphegor had not objected too vehemently to Haru's plan to befriend the female aristocrat. The assassin Prince found it ironically fitting that Haru's good intentions were being viewed with much distrust and misgiving from Galatea. Because goodwill was rarely given freely and almost always accompanied by betrayal and treachery amongst the upper echelons of high society, the Marquise was naturally suspicious of Haru's 'true' intentions and was constantly on alert as she attempted to second guess the brunette's 'real motives.'

Belphegor had been immensely amused by the fact that he didn't even have to do anything to make his civilian bride appear any more intimidating than she actually was—or was not. Apparently, her inherently kind, affable nature was enough to induce paranoia in his fellow aristocrats, and although she would be quite mortified if she knew of the negative effects that her friendly gestures were indirectly causing their unwanted guest, her gleeful husband was not feeling the least bit sorry at all. After all, if the Marquise was kept busy guessing at Haru's nonexistent ulterior motives, then it stood to reason that she would have much less time forming and hatching her own plots in the grand scheme of things, which was really the true reason why the Storm Unit Commander had no objections to his wife's innocently naïve attempts to befriend the Lady Galatea—not that Haru was aware, of course.

Knowing Haru like he did, the brunette would have been rightfully chagrinned if she realized his twisted reasoning, and would then proceed to go out of her way to reassure the beautiful blonde noblewoman that she really meant no harm. In Belphegor's not-so-humble opinion, it would be akin to informing the highly opportunistic opposition that she was in actuality as guileless and as defenseless as a newborn baby, and that was just asking for trouble.

So, it was an oblivious Haru who continued to determinedly attempt to befriend the reluctant Marquise, and unfortunately for the latter, the brunette was not one to allow herself to be easily foiled by something as trivial as an aloof love rival. No doubt Galatea must have been quite vexed by the younger woman's dogged personality, and hardly knew how to deal with the persistent female.

Haru took a generous sip of tea before she set her cup back down on its delicate porcelain saucer. The two women were in the adjoining living room that came attached to the Marquise's suite—an elegant, formal setting that the latter presided gracefully over like a queen, no pun intended. Haru would have preferred a less stilted atmosphere, but since Galatea appeared to be more comfortable in surroundings she was familiar with, the brunette decided that she didn't mind making the small adjustments to accommodate her highborn houseguest. Aristocrats, as Haru was beginning to learn, were a pretty high maintenance and fussy lot as a whole. It was really not difficult to picture her husband leading a group of them—he was, after all, the most temperamental and finicky of them all.

Not for the first time, the Princess Consort tactfully ignored the detached, slightly patronizing tone of the other female and smiled brightly instead, almost as if purposely turning on more of her sparkling personality to make up for the latter's disinterested demeanor.

"Even if that is true, you may change your mind if you give it a chance," Haru coaxed with determined optimism. "I will be happy to visit Florence with you when you feel like doing so, Galatea-san."

Haru's sincerity was genuine and obvious, and the beautiful blonde looked at her guardedly with a shrewd eye. It was becoming apparent even to the latter's instinctively jaded nature that the commoner Princess really was as nice and as well-meaning as she was making herself out to be, and for the barest of moments, it almost appeared as if the noblewoman might just become a little less hostile towards the younger female—until the former's sharp amethyst gaze chanced upon the deceptively innocent-looking, purplish bruise that peeked out partially from behind the collar of Haru's shirt.

It was quite obviously a mark of the Crown Prince's affection towards his consort, attained most recently, and the Marquise visibly stiffened at the coarse, blatant reminder, her red, perfectly painted lips thinning slightly with displeasure. The blonde gave no other indications of her irritation, but it was enough to cue Haru to the fact that Galatea's mood had changed.

"…Galatea-san?" Haru enquired, oblivious. Galatea extended her hand gracefully and reached for her teacup, the tastefully jeweled ring sitting on her slender finger flashing discreetly under the light. The blonde slowly raised her cup to her small, lush mouth and took an elegant sip, her every action seeming to be designed to bring attention to her well-bred manners and stunning, carefully maintained physique.

The graceful, soundless motions she made as she returned the delicate porcelain back to its matching antique saucer indicated an ease of practice that could only be derived from frequent experience, something that Haru was still wrestling with at the moment. Tea drinking was an art in patience, but it was a difficult process for the fidgety, work-oriented brunette to grasp as she could always think of better things to do than wasting time just sitting in a living room and sipping tea. Well, she could sip tea and do something else at the same time, but not one at a time. Multitasking made everything so much easier, after all, and she was used to that hectic way of life.

The Marquise gazed coolly at the younger Princess. The latter was truly foolishly naïve—annoyingly so. "You should learn to adopt proper decorum befitting your new station, Princess Haru," the impeccably beautiful blonde spoke at last in an icy, haughty tone. "No Royal Consort would so flagrantly flaunt the affections of her spouse like some uncouth commoner—it is beneath the status of the royal hierarchy and cheapens the dignity of all the previous Consorts who have come before your title."

Haru didn't really understand what the other female was talking about at first. It was especially difficult for the brunette to make heads or tails of the conversation since Galatea had always insisted on conversing in either Italian or French, both languages of which Haru was only in the beginning stages of learning.

"I…don't…really understand…" Haru faltered clumsily over the foreign language, struggling with the pronunciation as well as the effort of capturing the strange accent that was so different from that of her own native tongue. "Can you…please repeat what you have just said, Galatea-san?"

The noblewoman did not answer her request. Instead, those hard amethyst eyes centered upon the offending spot on the brunette's neck, and it didn't take long for Haru to discern the reason behind the other woman's annoyance. Slightly bewildered, the commoner Princess picked up the nearest reflective surface that she could reach—in this case, a highly polished, unused teaspoon that belonged to part of the castle's impressive silverware collection—and gazed upon her reflection on the convex surface of the metal utensil. It took a bit of careful squinting for Haru to see what the Marquise had been staring at all these while, and when she finally realized the probable cause of her bruise, Haru promptly colored with embarrassment.

Oh, dear god, Bel had been most enthusiastically paying homage to one of his most favorite parts of her body last night, and she had been more than willing to let him. She had honestly not noticed the mark when she had went through her morning routines earlier, more preoccupied with the intricate ring that he had given her than the various love bites that usually decorated her body one place or another whenever her husband had had his wicked way with her—not that she had been complaining very much, mind you. But it was definitely quite mortifying to have it pointed out by the Marquise all the same, and even though Haru had never been particularly ashamed of those small little bruises that Belphegor would leave on her during their lovemaking, Galatea's cold, disapproving regard made her feel as if she had done something wrong by willingly submitting to her husband's carnal brand of love.

The brunette quickly slapped a hand over the side of her neck, her face heating up uncomfortably. Chagrin filled her entire being, and it was difficult for her to look straight at the older, aristocratic female.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice at all- this isn't intentional- I mean, I wasn't trying to discomfort you or anything-" Haru had a sinking feeling that she was making a muck out of her flustered apologies to the Marquise, though it seemed that the Princess Consort appeared to be more discomforted and mortified by the awkward situation than her coolly composed counterpart. It did not take a genius to see that Haru was genuinely distressed; her expressive doe-like eyes, easily the most attractive and attention catching feature on her small, fine-boned face, were fretful, and the apple of her cheeks were dusted a soft pink from shy embarrassment.

Although there was nothing particularly striking in the commoner Princess's physical appearance, it was becoming more and more apparent that she possessed something much more powerful—a guileless, disconcerting brand of charm that unwittingly drew the attentions of those around her, the bright liveliness in her eyes and the earnest passion in her entire being lending beauty to what would have been an ordinary woman of plain, average looks. Indeed, the Royal Consort seemed to be ruled by her emotions, her every thought and feeling on display for the entire world to see. It was hardly appropriate behavior for a member of the Royal Class, not to mention a weakness that could be easily exploited by just about anyone, but…

But it was this unpretentious woman whom the Tsiveone Crown Prince had taken to be his mate, and the golden-haired royal was certainly not hiding the fact that he was thoroughly enjoying consummating his marriage to his plebian bride, as indicated by his casually amorous displays of affections towards his chosen woman. It might seem completely innocent on the Prince's part—after all, he was a newlywed husband, a status that gave him more than enough right to canoodle with his pretty little wife at every available opportunity—but Galatea knew better. She had received the other blonde's viciously blatant message loud and clear: she was not welcomed here and he would not spare her even the basic courtesy of acknowledging her presence as a noble born, blue-blooded aristocrat if he could help it.

Unlike his tenderhearted wife, the current heir to the throne of the Astonian monarchy was never one to deliberately put himself in difficult positions just so that he could be considerate towards the feelings of others. Like the deviously scheming aristocrats that had surrounded him since his birth, Belphegor was easily as cruel and as coldblooded as the members of his Royal Court, and to top it off, he also possessed the necessary brutality and callous bloodthirst to reinforce his decisions when the situation called for it. The Crown Prince answered to no one in Astonia, that is, no one but his allies within the Vongola Famiglia, and it never failed to chaff at the Royal Council's pride whenever they were bluntly reminded of their not-so-important position when it came to their future King's list of priorities.

And now, he had married a member of the Vongola, tying himself even closer to the filthy Mafia organization, and to make everything worse, the bride in question was apparently a naively idealistic woman whose ideals and values appeared to be completely opposite from the longstanding Tsiveone traditions and beliefs that were still being upheld today.

For Galatea, who had been groomed from birth to become the perfect Queen that would embody the most vaunted traits that were so highly valued by the Royal Family of Tsiveone, it was a personal affront to see that the one who had stolen her rightful place was someone so impossibly…_simple_.

Cold amethyst eyes narrowed.

Without belying her growing irritation, the breathtakingly beautiful blonde calmly and gracefully crossed her legs, her slow, deliberate movements bringing attention to the long, shapely limbs that seemed to stretch endlessly from behind the deceptively conservative knee length skirt that she was wearing. The Marquise was as aloof as usual, exuding icy elegance with every strand of hair tucked neatly in place. Her sleek golden locks were twisted into an austere French chignon that somehow only brought more attention to her gorgeous profile, and her long, dense eyelashes fanned out like twin, pale crescent moons against the porcelain of her aristocratically angled cheeks. Her eyelids were partially lowered, concealing her thoughts from view as the younger Princess continued to stammer out apologies in an awkwardly flustered manner, and it was only when the latter did not appear to be stopping anytime soon that the Marquise du Fronsac curtly interrupted the brunette's chagrinned monologue.

"You are an optimist, a romantic at heart, are you not?"

The sharp, unexpected observation was enough to give Haru pause, but most importantly, it was the fact that French noblewoman had just spoken to her in perfect, impeccable Japanese that made her stare at the blonde in surprise. In hindsight, it shouldn't have been very shocking to the brunette that Galatea's proficiency in foreign languages would be more or less on par with that of Belphegor's, but it had never even occurred to her that the Marquise might know how to speak her native tongue, and as such, Haru had just simply assumed that the older female had no prior knowledge of Japanese. It had really been quite arrogant of her to think that way, and not surprisingly, Galatea had just allowed her to draw her own conclusions in the matter.

No doubt that Marquise must have been quite amused by her terrible attempts at speaking broken Italian and French in an effort to reach out to the former, and even as a twinge of something that resembled hurt and shame pricked at her chest, Haru firmly pushed the feeling away and told herself that it was the least she deserved for making such unfair assumptions of others when she could have just asked.

"Ah," Haru could only reply lamely, feeling terribly self-conscious all of a sudden. The commoner Princess placed her hands on her lap as a quiet, more subdued air replaced the typically cheerful aura that surrounded her. "…Thanks, I guess?"

In response to her considerably wilted, uncertain reply, the Marquise shot the younger woman a hard stare.

"It is not a compliment, Royal Consort." The terse, cutting remark made Haru flinch inwardly against her will, and the noblewoman's lips flattened slightly with silent disdain when she easily read the increasing discomfort emanating from the Princess's expressive features. A cold sense of victorious vindication held the slightly older female in its firm grip as she watched Haru's eyes cloud over with hurt and painful upset. The brunette was clearly not as immune to her venomous attacks as she was trying to appear to be, and Galatea knew just where to strike next.

"You are the kind that trusts too easily, and let me guess; you probably also believe that Belphegor must love you, to have married you out of so many other women to choose from, to visit your bedchamber so often and frequently indulge in your womanly charms. So you dream of happily ever afters and white picket fences," the blonde continued in a sedate, leisurely murmur, her calm, matter-of-fact tone almost hypnotic to the ears. Haru was instantly be spelled. She found that she could not seem to tear her widened gaze from Galatea's cold, glittering one.

"It is a mistake to think that way, Royal Consort. I'm sure you are aware by now that Belphegor is an intensely physical individual. Sex has always been a means of carnal gratification to him, but unfortunately, he has always had a short attention span." Impersonal amethyst eyes looked over Haru with purely clinical interest, blandly inspecting her form as if she was a piece of horseflesh, and then looking as though she had somehow been found severely lacking. The brunette could not seem to find the proper words to describe her feelings at the moment, and she could not seem to open her mouth to say anything either, but even as her self-confidence had taken a hit from Galatea's eerily accurate observations and unfriendly, unforgiving regard, at the same time, something within her started to burn with anger at the things that Galatea was saying.

Haru decided that she really didn't like Galatea at that moment.

"…There is no doubt that Belphegor is pretty enamored of you at the moment," the beautiful blonde continued silkily, deliberately provocative. "Your type is pretty rare in our circles, so foolishly naïve and amusingly gullible, so I'm not very surprised that the Crown Prince chose you to play house with. But always remember, Royal Consort; he will grow bored of you one day, so you should enjoy your exclusive status—while it lasts."

The absolute certainty in the Marquise's statement made something within Haru snap. Her eyes darkened and she stiffened with growing outrage, and suddenly, as she gazed upon the calm, composed features of the perfect Galatea, Haru was struck by the sudden urge to do something really violent to unsettle the beautiful noblewoman. Something that most preferably involved a lot of unladylike screeching, hair pulling, and bitch slapping. It took a significant portion of the brunette's self-control not to give in to the startlingly violent urge to leap across the coffee table to show the Marquise just what she thought of her less than stellar opinion of her marriage to Belphegor, but Haru managed. It was also a boon to realize that she was now so righteously mad that she suddenly had a lot to say to Galatea, only that Haru did not know just where to start.

"Bel is not like that," Haru immediately defended with instinctive promptness, her voice crackling slightly from the effort not to yell at the snobby blonde. "Clearly, you do not know him well enough if you think that he is that shallow."

Galatea glanced casually at the fired up brunette, hardly impressed by the younger woman's indignant fury. It was a markedly better improvement from when the latter was stupidly trying to befriend her, though the blonde highly doubted that would ever be an issue again after this day was through.

"So you truly believe that you know your husband that well, Princess Haru?"

Haru nodded firmly without pause. "Yes, I do," she affirmed confidently. "I do not claim to know everything about him yet, but at the very least, I know what kind of man I have married."

"Is that so?" Galatea asked softly, making no effort to hide the mocking amusement that made her look so much uglier in Haru's eyes. "You truly believe that you have tamed him?"

The brunette frowned at that. "My husband is not a wild animal and he hardly needs to be tamed."

"How foolish." The blonde's quiet, mocking reply made Haru's hackles rise straight up, but Galatea did not even blink at the angry glare the younger female was leveling at her. "Men like Belphegor should never be trusted. They do as they wish and take as they want, arrogant and absorbed only in their own pleasures. Tell me, Royal Consort, how certain are you that your notoriously erratic husband will not change his mind about you in a few months' time?"

Haru wanted badly to refute the Marquise's cold, sardonic observations, but the brunette quickly realized that it would not be easy to convince the noblewoman otherwise. After all, explaining that she had decided to marry Belphegor because of her love for him from the bottom of her heart as well as blind faith in her maniacal assassin husband did not really sound like particularly solid reasons even to herself, but that was the only truth she could offer.

The brunette bit her lips, at last reluctantly coming to the conclusion that she had no good answer for the Marquise's flat question. Her previous fierce ire promptly died an abrupt, agonizing death, simply unable to sustain the fire of her outrage now that the blonde aristocrat had brought her most secret doubts to light. Galatea had a very valid point after all; people fell in and out of love so very easily nowadays, and to make matters worse, it wasn't as if Belphegor had openly declared his affection to her. He had only decided that it was about time he got married and chose her because she suited his purposes. For all she knew, she was the only one in their relationship who was emotionally bonded to her other half, getting giddy and excited all by herself all these while. So who was to say that Belphegor would not change his mind about her in the near future? Perhaps he would one day decide that it was really not worth the effort of putting up with her and her various idiosyncratic quirks, that he regretted trading in his bachelorhood for someone as plain and as unremarkable as her, and as Haru's over imaginative mind once again took her off on wild spins of what could be, her confidence started to plummet further.

"I- I don't know." The brunette could only reply softly, truthfully at last, lifting her eyes to meet the cool, measured gaze of her female counterpart. The Princess looked somewhat uncertain at that very moment, and Galatea knew that she had found a chink in the younger woman's armor. But then, before the blonde could attempt to further pry open that weak link, something seemed to come over Haru, and just as quickly as that vulnerability had revealed itself, it disappeared.

"I don't know," Haru repeated once more, but instead of sounding lost and bewildered like before, she merely appeared thoughtful, her brow furrowed slightly for awhile before even that was smoothed away, as if she had just figured something out herself and her world had been put to rights once more.

It was certainly an unexpected surprise to Galatea that Haru was able to recover so quickly from the unpleasant shocks she had just been dealt, and most amazing of all was the fact that the doubt in the younger woman's eyes was also fading away rapidly even as she watched, replaced by a much more powerful emotion that simply radiated from her expressive features, transforming what was normally a passably pretty face to something downright captivating.

The pure trust that showed on Haru's face, the firm belief that the Royal Consort had in her mate, was simply unmistakable.

It was downright annoying to watch.

"You are absolutely right, Galatea-san," Haru spoke at last. "Bel may just decide to change his mind about me in the future, but that is not really something that I can control, so I normally try not to think about it too much. But if- if something like that were to really happen," the brunette's voice faltered slightly as she thought of all the terrible scenarios that could occur, the sheer amount of heartbreak and pain that would cause her, and for a moment, it looked like the younger female would really start to cry. However, like before, she picked herself up swiftly once again, giving herself a firm mental shake and pushing away her negative thoughts and insecurities determinedly to complete her sentence. "I won't give up on Bel so easily."

Haru's dainty features softened, and she continued quietly, earnestly. "I love my husband very much, and I will never give up on him. We chose each other, and I fully intend to keep the promise of my wedding vows to him. Bel is the only man I will ever love in this lifetime."

The calm surety in her voice was clearly not feigned or practiced, and the brunette also did not look like she had just made her declaration in the heat of the moment. She was serene and almost beautiful in the way she had just confidently, unashamedly, spoke of her devotion to her spouse and soul mate, and the love that clearly showed in her gaze did not burn hot and wild with its volatile passion, but rather, exuded from the Princess in a peaceful, sedate manner, almost like a gently flowing brook that would never run dry.

Judging by how the Royal Consort all but glowed at the mere mention of her husband, it was not difficult to see that she was indeed genuinely, sincerely, in love with her dangerous, at times murderous, mate. The younger woman all but radiated contentment, having the good luck of finding the place that she belonged to, right by the side of the one who held her heart. Looking at the simple joy that showed on the former's petite features, something that could not be procured even by copious amounts of wealth and prestige, Galatea could not help but feel her stomach twist with growing envy—and inferiority.

The Marquise knew that she was clearly richer, was so much more beautiful and privileged than the commoner Princess, but she did not think that she had ever felt the type of happiness that the brunette was no doubt experiencing right now—_not even once in her gilded life_. The distinctly unpleasant, unwanted feelings of jealousy and inadequacy that the usually self-assured, composed noblewoman was sensing at the moment quickly made anger seep into her entire being, a cold, empty feeling not unlike being dipped in an icy river, and the blonde's perfectly painted lips thinned with annoyance.

"_Pure idiocy_," the Marquise responded in a tone that was much sharper than she had originally intended. If Belphegor was present, he would have quickly realized that his fellow aristocrat had been rattled by Haru's honest words and demeanor, but since the Crown Prince was absent from this rather…informative encounter, his wife did not seem to realize the advantage that she had somehow gained from this particular exchange.

Galatea glared coldly at the startled brunette, glittering ice that raged from within her hard amethyst gaze. The Marquise was usually coolly collected and completely unruffled in her reluctant dealings with Haru, and therefore Haru was actually surprised to see the depth of emotions that existed in the beautiful woman.

"To base a marriage on something as fickle as love is foolishness of the highest degree," Galatea spoke frigidly, her voice curt. "The common masses may indulge in such pointless matches, but any aristocrat worthy of their title would know better than to sully their bloodlines for something as fleeting and as intangible as mere infatuation."

Haru grimaced inwardly at the holier-than-thou attitude that the blonde was projecting once again, well aware that the other woman had just somehow included herself and Belphegor in her impassioned, negative statement, but something in Galatea's speech quickly caught her attention. She stared at the angered blonde.

"You mean you do not feel anything at all for Bel?" Haru sounded downright stunned by her own realization. If that was really so, then why was Galatea so intent on marrying her husband?

The beautiful aristocrat gave her surprised counterpart a flat, almost insulted look. If anything, the hostility towards Haru for asking such a brainless, stupid question only seemed to have increased further.

"I have neither interest in nor affection for the Crown Prince," Galatea's tone was downright frosty by now, terse. "He is merely an adequate match for someone of my status."

Haru just continued to stare at Galatea, this time in disbelief.

"…That's all?" she asked at last. "You intend to marry Bel…just because of that?"

The blonde looked at Haru through imperceptibly narrowed eyes. The former did not snap at the brunette for her impertinent question though the look in her eyes became quite derisive.

"Do not include me in your plebian ideas and notions of marriages, Royal Consort," Galatea spoke in a mildly mocking tone. "Some of us are actually obligated to place the honor of our families above our own selfish desires."

Haru did not say anything for a while.

"I don't think it is selfish to fall in love with someone," she spoke softly at last, staring straight across the coffee table that separated them to the beautiful noblewoman. "I'm sorry that you think that way, and if this is how you really feel, then I now know that I have nothing to fear from you. You are no threat to me at all, Galatea-san."

Amethyst eyes widened at the nerve of the impudent brunette, and just as quickly, burned with fury. It was a credit to Galatea's ironclad composure that she revealed no other indication of the rage that roiled within her at that very moment. How dare that lowly Consort speak of such things to her? She was clearly getting too conceited, arrogantly confident in the false belief that she was in an unshakable position of power. She would regret that, the Marquise thought with icy vehemence as she stared contemptuously at the younger woman.

"Do you really believe that, _Royal Consort_?" The hostile aristocrat all but spat out the last two words like a curse.

But Haru did not appear to be at all affected by the sleek, unspoken promise of retribution that seemed to flow like poisoned honey from the blonde's venomous tongue. If anything, the mild look that the commoner Princess gave her was filled suspiciously with something that greatly resembled pity, and that only served to make the Marquise ever angrier. It had been such a long time since anyone was able to make her so furious that she was trembling inwardly from the force of her dark emotions, and this hated woman had easily managed it with nothing but a short sentence and a look. The entire situation was almost unbelievable. How on earth did it turn into something like this?

This Miura Haru was clearly a lot more cunning and sly than she outwardly appeared to be.

"I mean no insult, Galatea-san." Haru spoke sincerely. "It just appears rather obvious to me that you do not possess the drive to accomplish what you say you will."

The Princess's words rang in Galatea's ears like a never ending string of insults. The blonde saw red. So the stupid girl believed that she was harmless. It was clearly time to quit toying around and get right down to business.

Galatea smiled coldly at the younger brunette. She would really enjoy breaking this one. She chuckled slowly, a sharp, brittle sound that contained no humor whatsoever.

"Whatever are you saying, Royal Consort? I have already accomplished half of my goal even before I came here."

Before Haru could ask what she meant, Galatea continued with calculating vindictiveness.

"You seem to be under the mistaken impression that Prince Belphegor has always belonged completely to you. I may have no interest in him at the moment, but the truth is that I possess a part of him that you will never be able to touch, Princess."

The blonde bombshell looked at Haru coldly even as her lips formed a hard, triumphant smirk.

"Did you know; I was the first woman whom your beloved husband took to his bed? Do you honestly think that a bond of such intimate nature could be so easily forgotten?"

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Aha, don't kill me for the cliff-hanger. I did sort of warn that the you-know-what is going to hit the fan at the end of last chapter, if I remember correctly!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

So yes, Belphegor and Galatea share a history together; she's an ex-lover of his, and although it seems somewhat incestuous, it is not exactly illegal or morally unacceptable since they are only third cousins, and therefore the familial blood tie is rather diluted. In fact, most countries in the world allow consanguineous intermarriages within families up to the degree of second cousins, so don't freak out, you guys.

Personally, I find the notion of carrying out a liaison with one's own cousin more than a bit strange, but do keep in mind that both Belphegor and Galatea are raised with highly complex and rather inbred family backgrounds, so the significance of their rather mild familial relationship is hardly a pressing concern.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Galatea did not lie; she is the first woman whom Belphegor had slept with, but obviously, she is not the last. More on that backstory will come in the subsequent chapters, so I won't spoil that for now.

Belphegor is not exactly a manwhore, really, but he has had his share of lovers and usually regards them quite casually, as a form of sexual release if nothing else. Of course, all that has come to an end since his involvement with Haru, and for all his past flings with women, Bel's relationship with his sparrow is actually a first for him, so there _is_ a huge difference between the two.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	47. Chapter 47

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7469

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 14/01/12

* * *

**Chapter Forty Seven**

* * *

Belphegor was having a pretty good day so far. He had kicked ass, took names (not exactly true, because he could care less about the identities of those schmucks stupid enough to get in the way of his path of destruction) and had also managed to surpass his personal record of taking down the most number of opponents in a single attack. The mission had been a roaring success, one that didn't really require his particular field of expertise, to be perfectly honest, but the Storm Unit Commander had enjoyed it all the same. It had been a simple, rather straightforward raid on an enemy mafia clan that was completed smoothly and with no unexpected complications whatsoever for once; just the pure, unadulterated experience of bloodshed and blessed mayhem. There had been no reported fatalities amongst his men after the chaos of the battle had died down, and for the first time in one month, the entire unit had actually made it back to the headquarters ahead of schedule, reported in without a problem, and ended the day in significantly high spirits and morale.

The heady high from the adrenaline in the heat of a fight had subsided mostly by the time they returned to the castle, but Belphegor was still feeling quite edgy from the endorphin rush, a faint, bloodthirsty grin lurking on his lips as he strolled down the hallways towards his wing of the castle. The silver glint of light reflecting off multiple metallic surfaces danced around his long, narrow fingers as he played absently with the weapons of his choice, the deadly, bladed scalpels moving like natural extensions of his person, graceful and extremely dangerous. The good-looking blonde appeared to be completely at ease, and when his loyal butler materialized quietly beside him, falling naturally into place by his side, the assassin Prince did not react safe for a near imperceptible widening of his smirk.

"Welcome back, Your Highness," Mortigor intoned with somber dignity. "I hope you had a good hunt."

Belphegor chuckled.

"I did," the blonde replied almost instantly, his good mood rather apparent. "It is a good day to be alive."

Dourly, the butler thought that his master might be revising his opinion by the end of the evening.

"Where is my wife?" Belphegor asked then, as if on cue.

"Her Highness just returned from the dungeon vaults half an hour ago," Mortigor reported promptly, his features schooled and impassive as usual. The butler paused briefly, and then continued. "The Princess Consort appears to be rather distracted today."

Belphegor turned his head slightly to look at his butler.

"Oh? Why is that so?" The Storm Varia did not sound too concerned; after all, they wouldn't be standing around still having this conversation if it was really of life and death import. Knowing the woman like he did, it was most probably that time of the month again or something. Tch, it would require extra effort to get her into bed with him if that was so, but it wasn't as if he was still a stranger to her various behaviors and reactions even at her moodiest, and she did tend to become even more affectionate than usual once she got over her initial hesitance, so he didn't really have much to complain about-

"I'm afraid that the Marquise de Fronsac has seen fit to reveal the intimate details of her past liaison with you to Her Highness."

Huh.

The blonde mentally processed the significance of that rather unfortunate piece of information, though he did not show any sign of being adversely affected by the news that his butler had just imparted to him. His smirk did fade slightly, but Belphegor was feeling more bemused and curious than anything else. The distinct lack of worry on the Prince's part spoke of either great confidence in his standing with his new wife or just a complete lack of awareness when it came to the understanding of women and their many peculiarities, most notably of which was the instinctive, irrational flare of jealousy when it came to the past relationships of their chosen mates.

"So, how upset was she?" Belphegor asked his servant with deceptive casualness, one that did not fool the older man in the slightest. Mortigor gave his unabashedly gleeful master an almost reproachful look before he answered.

"Princess Haru was naturally surprised by the Marquise's admission," the butler replied with stiff dignity. "She does not appear to be too outwardly shaken or emotional, if that was what you were enquiring about, but she has been…preoccupied."

"Go on." Belphegor waited for the manservant to elaborate with shameless interest.

"Her Highness claims to suffer from a headache and has chosen to forgo dinner this evening."

The fallen Prince slowly raised his brow. For his sparrow to actually skip a meal when she usually relished eating and loved food so much was a rather indicative sign of her current mood.

The careless, laidback grin crept back onto Belphegor's face then, and the blonde stretched cat-like with lazy ease. He rotated his neck slowly this way and that, taking his leisurely time to straighten out all the kinks on that particular portion of his anatomy, perversely delighted by the unpleasant cracking sounds of realigning vertebrae. An unflinching Mortigor walked beside his master with resolute stoicism, clearly awaiting further instructions from the latter.

"Have food brought up to the suite," Belphegor spoke at last, nonchalant as can be. "Dessert as well, preferably something disgustingly sweet and stuffed with chocolate."

It was no secret to the servants who had raised him from infanthood that the blonde did not usually prefer sweet things; he could eat them on rare occasions, but even still, it was not very often that he would develop a hankering for them. Also, the Prince had always been something of a chronically fussy eater since young, and as such, tended not to consume much at every meal. The fact that he was now giving out orders that contradicted his usual habits and tastes was certainly strange, but it was once again testament to his staff's innate understanding of him that Mortigor was not even surprised by his master's unusual orders.

After all, the Crown Prince now had his own mate to tend to. He was no longer the young boy who used to need to be carefully coaxed in order to take his meals.

"It will be done," the butler answered with unflappable alacrity, as usual revealing none of his own opinions of the matter. "Today's dessert is chocolate lava cake; does that meet your requirements or will you prefer something else instead, Your Highness?"

Belphegor waved his hand carelessly in assent. "That will do."

"In that case, I shall relay your orders to the kitchen staff. Please excuse me, Your Highness." The dignified, middle-aged servant sketched a small bow before turning crisply to see to his duties, leaving the Storm Prince to make his way back to his suite on his own. The relaxed, uncaring grin that sat on Belphegor's face faded away slowly as he was left to his own thoughts, as he guessed at his wife's most likely state of emotions at the moment; cross referencing what he knew of Haru with the reactions of other women in the same situation, he promptly reached the conclusion that she would most likely be jealous, distraught, and angry.

Tch, troublesome.

The blonde never thought that he would ever think this way, but he would almost rather it be that she was just suffering from a bad case of PMS. At least she could still be reasoned with (vaguely true) if it was only the latter, but he expected that the wife was definitely going to raise havoc now that she learned Galatea had used to be his lover.

Damn the Marquise for her indiscreet tattling—the de Fronsac aristocrat was hardly endearing herself to the royal couple by revealing such old, outdated information that should have been best left in the past. Haru must have had rattled her somehow, for the normally reservedly frigid, perfectly proper paragon of a noblewoman to volunteer such intimate details to the former.

The Varia assassin made a sound of irritation under his breath as he strode into his wing of the castle and rapidly approached the bedroom he shared with his wife. And of course he was going to have to figure out a way to deal with his sparrow's upset and tearful accusations, at least if he still wanted his household to be standing by the time this entire fiasco was through, that was. Also, the possibility of bedding his pretty, passionate little mate this evening had most probably just dwindled down to nothingness—

Growing inwardly annoyed with the bothersome situation, Belphegor walked unhesitatingly into the suite, already mentally prepared for a confrontation with an anxious and highly unhappy wife. Might as well get it done and over with while he still had some shreds of patience to deal with the problem, and besides, it wasn't as if he was going to permit Haru to stay mad at him for long. He would allow her to throw her little tantrum and blow off some steam, and then she was just going to have to get the hell over it even if he had to forcibly convince her to forget about the whole thing.

Imagine the blonde's surprise when that was not the case at all.

For one, the wife was hardly as upset as he had initially assumed she would be.

Haru raised her head from the book that she had been reading the moment she heard the door open. Even though it was still quite early in the evening, she had already changed into her pajamas and was curled up comfortably amongst the pillows in bed, and other than for the flicker of startlement that darted past her features at his unexpectedly early return, Belphegor did not manage to discern any negative emotions emanating from her.

It was…unexpected.

"You are back early today," the brunette commented by way of greeting then. Only mild curiosity could be heard from her voice and seen on her face, and Belphegor watched her closely, attempting to discover any signs of distress. There were none, much to his inward astonishment. Miracle of miracles; she was as openly expressive as usual and yet he could detect no hint of resentment or even upset. If not for the fact that his butler had stated that Haru was most definitely aware of his past relationship with Galatea, he would never have guessed she was actually in possession of the knowledge that the Marquise had once been his lover.

It was certainly quite puzzling…not to mention downright suspicious. Immediately, the Storm Prince's paranoid nature kicked in and he started to wonder if his sparrow was just feigning nonchalance, deliberately lulling him into a state of unawareness before she unexpectedly sprung one of her monstrously dangerous mechanical deathtraps on him. As the blonde was standing there trying to figure out what was going on in the complex mind of his spouse, said female just stared, transfixed by the odd behavior of her husband and wondered if he had accidentally hit his head on his mission earlier.

"Are you just going to stand at the door and stare at me all night long?" she asked at last.

Belphegor moved further into the room then, approaching his wife with a nonchalantly schooled expression. He decided that he would wait and see what Haru was up to for now, but she was looking at him with her usual honest, unpretentious manner that he just knew it was going to be difficult to continuously view her in a suspicious light. The blonde promptly revised his opinion of his wife; she would make a good spy if she could so easily conceal her murderous thoughts behind that innocent façade at will, and for some reason, that made him scowl.

Haru was starting to get a little concerned over Belphegor's strangeness. Well, her husband was admittedly quite strange normally, but he was behaving even more so this evening, enough to warrant her full attention. Haru put down the book that she had been reading in favor of scrutinizing her other half. He looked perfectly unharmed from what she could see; no visible injuries, a relaxed Mink curled quietly around his neck as usual, even his uniform was immaculate. There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary in terms of his appearance, but still he was acting oddly, in this case studying her intently like one would a particularly rare species of man eating insect, and exasperated, Haru at last gave up.

"What's wrong?" she enquired with innocent expectation. Belphegor twitched inwardly at her oblivious nature, his scowl deepening. Before she could understand his motives, he came before her, sank down onto her side of the bed, and caught her chin with those long, narrow fingers of his. She stilled, surprised by his unexpected action, her eyes trained on his visibly annoyed features even as he tilted her face to the light to observe her better.

"…Bel?" Haru voiced out uncertainly, not sure what to make of her husband's behavior.

The lanky blonde grumbled something inaudible under his breath before he finally spoke to her for the first time that evening, his tone blunt and irritated.

"Mortigor said that you weren't feeling well."

Never mind that the Storm Varia didn't exactly sound very concerned or even worried by his mate's ailing health; in fact, the blonde seemed more aggravated that she actually had the gall to fall sick than anything else, but Haru could clearly see beyond his brusque demeanor, the actions that spoke more than anything he could say, and the brunette's doe-like gaze softened with unhidden adoration for her spouse, as hopelessly inept as he might be with the situation right now.

Wordlessly, the Princess Consort gently removed her husband's hand from her jaw and intertwined her fingers with his instead. Then, she slowly rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand with unbridled affection, her eyes sliding shut even as a small, serene smile of delight graced her pretty face. The soft purr of happiness that emanated from her being resonated perfectly with the warmth glowing in her chest, and once again, the silly, sentimental woman proved that she was so very easy to please, so ridiculously touched by the small, simple gestures that didn't even cost him anything to give to her.

It was difficult for Belphegor to continue to hold onto his irritation and suspicion in the face of Haru's undiluted, happy contentment. The woman could be as guilelessly expressive as a damn puppy sometimes, and although she never expressed her gladness at seeing him with exaggerated, over the top gestures, she somehow still managed to make her joyful message quite clear to him all the same, often with wordless, affectionately demonstrative actions that gave no doubt as to the authenticity of her feelings.

It must be why it always felt so natural to let his guard down around her, why he trusted her on an intrinsic level, a mark of distinction that less than a handful of individuals could lay claim to. It was certainly easy to deceive with careless words and empty promises, but the tenderness that shone in her gentle brown eyes, the faint flush of pleasure that colored her lovely features, the glow of love that took hold of her whenever he was around, simply could not be faked.

He could not doubt her, he thought with exasperation, and the golden-haired Varia felt his body warm over with undisguised pleasure when his mate reopened her eyes to look at him, not for the first time silently marveling over the amount of trust that he could see in her gaze, the way she clearly took comfort from his presence.

"Mmmh…" The brunette turned her head slightly and dropped a gentle kiss onto his knuckles before she finally let him go. Around his neck, Mink roused from its nap and took the opportunity to slip from his master over to Haru, who was more than happy to hold the well trained, white-furred mustelid. "I had a small headache," she explained even as she absently stroked Bel's docile box animal. "But I slept it off already." Then, she changed the subject, wrinkling her nose slightly as she did so. "You should go bathe. You reek of smoke."

He did not take offence and shrugged instead. "That happens when you set your enemies on fire," the blonde remarked all too casually. His wife gave him a small frown.

"I did not need to know that," she muttered, making shooing motions at him. Belphegor tossed a smirk at her but obligingly stood up and made his way towards the adjoining bathroom. It did not take him long to shower, and by the time he got out, the food was already set up in the small lounge area near the bed and his discreet, efficient servants had already retreated from the room.

Haru, who had been reading her book once more, looked up the moment she sensed his movements from the corner of her peripheral vision. She gave him a mildly incredulous stare before tilting her head pointedly towards the veritable buffet of food that was spread on the coffee table.

"Are you sure you can finish all that?" she asked skeptically, not even blinking at her boxer-clad-and-nothing-else husband.

Casually toweling his damp hair, Belphegor prowled lazily over to the coffee table to survey the array of dishes that had been brought up at his request. There were mostly appetizers and cold dishes that had been swiftly but expertly prepared, coupled with a main course of fresh seafood as well as the rich chocolate dessert exactly as he had ordered. There was no mistaking the quality of the food though the quantity was definitely more than what two could eat. Still, Belphegor was not particularly concerned or even surprised by the latter; unlike his wife, he was born into the lifestyle of the rich and privileged and was thus naturally predisposed to excess luxuries befitting his station and social status.

There was a quiet rustle as Haru padded up behind him then, finally leaving the comfortable cocoon of pillows and blankets on the bed to stand beside her husband. Said husband was not a hearty eater even on his best days, so she had a strong hunch that he wasn't going to be able to finish all that food on the table. Exasperated, she was prepared to give him an earful for the blatant wastage but never did get the chance to do so.

"Geh." The Prince sat down on the sofa, carelessly discarding his towel on the adjacent armchair before grabbing an empty plate from the coffee table and randomly piling food on it. Haru shot him a piqued look before she deftly swooped in to collect the dirty laundry before her spouse could make a bigger mess out of their bedroom. Really, were all men pigs?

"You know, the laundry basket in the toilet is not just there for display only," the brunette muttered disgruntledly as she made her way to the bathroom to deposit the used towel, stopping periodically to collect whatever random articles of clothing that her messy husband had tossed all over the place. "It is really easy to use; you should try it sometime."

It was more of a pointed statement than a casual suggestion, repeated often enough in the course of their relationship to no longer be just a polite request (it was more of a demand by now, actually), but still Belphegor appeared rather amused as he watched her grumble and pick up after him. Evidently, the neat freak in her just could not stand the way he seemed to make messes everywhere he went. Unfortunately for Haru, her aggravated mutters about his less than tidy habits usually went in one ear and then promptly out the other, though he proved to be unusually indulgent with her when she fussed over such minor details. His sparrow was certainly no domestic goddess but she still fully expected to keep a tidy nest, even going so far as to take him to task over the matter whenever she had to do so. He had to admit that he found it quite refreshing—irritating as well sometimes, yes—but refreshing all the same.

After all, she was the only person who had dared to yell at him, a Prince, to pick up his own laundry.

The blonde shrugged nonchalantly at his wife when she came back out of the bathroom, by then all puffed up with righteous irritation.

"It is the servants' duty to serve me, and they are always more than happy to do it," he quipped back not for the first time, and as usual, Haru just scowled slightly at him.

"You are such a slob," she accused indignantly on behalf of his poor staff. How they must have suffered for his terribly indolent habits!

Belphegor paused in the midst of biting into a succulent shrimp that he had filched from a nearby salad bowl to look at her. "Careful with the name calling there," he merely responded in a deceptively mild manner. "I might actually take offense, you know."

Haru resisted the urge to mutter something unpleasant in retort. Instead, a determined look crept onto her face. It was the expression that he was beginning to associate with her whenever she was beginning to get into one of those deliberately obstinate moods of hers. "For the good of everyone, I'm going to try my best to turn you into a normal person even if that is the last thing I do!"

For the good of his personal wellbeing and peace of mind, it was imperative that he allowed her to do no such thing. Not to mention…

"Why would I even want to be normal?" Belphegor asked, sounding genuinely perplexed. "I can't be normal; I'm a Prince."

She should have known that he would say that! Haru all but gawked at her husband in disbelief, and then she looked torn over whether to face palm or just yell at him.

"You are so unbelievably narcissistic," she could only mutter exasperatedly at last, not that he really cared.

"Whatever you say," he responded in an infuriatingly dismissive manner that quickly made her scowl at him again. He crooked his finger lazily at her then, at the same time gesturing expansively to the array of food on the coffee table with his other hand. "Now that we are done with that topic, come over here and help; the food isn't going to finish itself."

Haru placed her hand on her hips. "This conversation is not over yet, so don't try to change the subject," she declared hotly.

"I'm not," he told her in a suspiciously sedate (Bel? _Sedate_? Never!) manner. The blonde popped a fresh piece of lettuce into his mouth and started to chew. He swallowed before he spoke again. "Feel free to continue your tirade as you eat. I think there's molten chocolate lava cake somewhere here."

Sure enough, the brunette, who had been about to open her mouth to mutter about how he wasn't taking her seriously at all, delicately paused at the casual mention of the decadent combination of her two greatest weaknesses. Chocolate. And. Cake.

It was most amusing to see her reaction in the aftermath of his deceptively careless remark; the way the indignant fire in her eyes simmered reluctantly as her brain quickly caught on to what her ears had just heard, as she became momentarily flustered, losing her train of thought, or at least, what she was about to say to him. Then, her gaze dropped from his, becoming distracted and sidetracked as she furtively glanced for the piece of melty heavenly goodness hidden amongst the other dishes, and upon locating it, studied it quickly with the expert eye of a connoisseur to see if it was worth her while.

The castle's patissier had made sure that it was all that and more, and Belphegor's lips twitched slightly with mirth when he saw her swallow slightly in response to the sight of the perfect little mounds of warm, baked, chocolaty bliss just slightly beyond her reach.

Heh. If he was ruled by sloth, then she was surely ruled by gluttony.

Belphegor was at least smart enough not to comment on his observation, and less than a few minutes later, his adorably chagrinned wife found herself sitting down beside him on the couch, accepting a plate from him that he had nonchalantly piled with food. She was being quite meek for now, albeit begrudgingly so, and he knew that she would remain that way for as long as he did not reveal his amusement at her expense—at least not too much of it, that was.

Haru took a brief moment to just stare at all the food that she had just been handed. Then she looked to Belphegor, who was by now getting all comfortable on his end of the sofa and was fiddling with the TV remote, boredly flicking through channels on the shiny, wall mounted Plasma screen that had just been recently installed in their bedroom in between bites of food.

"This is not dessert," she pointed out to him at last when he did not seem to notice that he had made a mistake.

He glanced at her briefly before turning back to the TV and deciding to settle on the local news channel. He dropped the remote beside him and then returned his attention back to her.

"I'm aware of that," he told her, a lazy smile sitting on his face even as he looked upon her bewildered features. "Where I come from, you only get dessert after a meal."

Haru sputtered slightly at that. "_After_ a meal? Do you have any idea how late it is now? If I eat this-," she gestured at the plate loaded with what looked like gourmet seafood pasta with a few random sides of rather tempting looking hors d'oeuvres. "I definitely won't be able to have dessert! And I will grow fat!"

He scoffed at her ridiculous concerns.

"You are skinny as a twig," he remarked flatly. "Perhaps if you eat more, you might actually grow a decent pair of breasts. Not that I'm harboring high expectations on that particular front, of course, but I suppose it never hurts to hope, huh?"

Haru twitched at his blunt, completely tactless reply. She started to scowl sharply at him once more. It was just like him to say things like that to deliberately rile her up, but fortunately, she had already grown quite used to his annoying ways of pointing out her various deficiencies, and beyond the initial bout of immense irritation, the brunette ruthlessly squished the instinctive feeling of self-consciousness and brushed aside the sudden need to stare down at her less than voluptuous chest. If anything else, having Belphegor around sure was great motivation for developing a thicker hide ASAP; he was certainly about as sensitive as an elephant most of the time. He was also an excellent exercise in patience, and keeping that thought firmly in mind, Haru was able to calm down and regain most of her composure.

"You are not going to get at me that way," she told him at last in a significantly less agitated manner. "I made my peace with the size of my chest a long time ago, and I'm definitely not going to change that for anything in the world. So there." And to round up her thoughts and feelings on this particular subject and his less than appropriate manner of handling it, she stuck out her tongue at him in a rather childish manner (he snorted at that) before turning her attention back to the plate of food on hand. She picked up a utensil and started to eat—evidently, she had quite the appetite despite all of her earlier protests—and for a while, there was a companionable silence as the couple ate their late dinner.

Then, Haru paused in the midst of eating to shoot her husband a dirty look, apparently having realized what had just occurred. "You did all that just to change the subject, didn't you?"

He turned from the TV to look at her with deceptive innocence. "What subject?"

Haru groaned. That 'who me?' expression was so wrong on his usually sardonically smirking face that it all but pronounced his wrongdoing for the entire world to see. "You did! I can't believe you!" she exclaimed at last, pointing an accusing fork in his direction. Much to her increasing chagrin, her idiotic husband had the gall to sit there and laugh at her.

"It's not my fault that you are so gullible and forgetful," he retorted when his demented chuckles finally abated. Haru growled at him.

"I will show you gullible," she threatened grumpily. "That chocolate cake had better be worth the aggravation of putting up with you."

In response, he rolled his eyes slightly and pushed the plate of dessert that had been sitting on his side of the coffee table to her, finally acknowledging the hint that she had been not-so-subtly throwing his way. Haru promptly abandoned all pretense of attempting to finish her meal and reached out for it quickly, snagging it off the table with remarkable speed and expertly spearing a mouthful of decadent chocolate bliss into her mouth.

Belphegor's cat-like smirk widened at the unconsciously euphoric expression that spread across his woman's face at the first taste of the delicious treat. She clearly loved food despite all her trivial concerns over her weight, and he found that he liked to watch the way she all but relaxed with satisfaction and happiness whenever she was given something really good to eat. She was so easily satisfied, he realized not for the first time, and he briefly wondered if all the other commoners could also be so simply placated.

She caught him watching her then, but she didn't stop nibbling on the small pieces of cake that she had conveniently segmented into bite-sized bits with the expert application of her dessert fork. Beside her, Mink slunk up to her lap to beg for some scraps and was promptly rewarded by pieces of fresh cherries that had served as garnishing for the cake. The box animal was more than happy to accept the treat, and both human and mustelid appeared to sport similar auras of happiness as they ate their food.

It made for a rather humorous sight.

Belphegor huffed softly with amusement. "Glutton," he purred softly, almost teasingly, in remark.

Haru was now in a more pleasant mood (the cake was really, really good), therefore she was able to easily ignore the nonsense that he was saying, only registering the hint of affection in his silky tone. In response, the brunette just scooted over to her husband's side and leaned against his shoulder casually, continuing to dig into her delicious dessert even as she curled up against him. He did not push her away; if anything, he relaxed further onto the couch, almost like a lazy leopard unwinding after a long day, unthreatened and perfectly at peace at the moment.

"Slob," Haru finally deigned to mutter back in response, though this time, there was no heat whatsoever behind her accusation. She even shifted to snuggle closer to him, so he could easily guess that she was no longer irritated with him. "Don't think that this is over though; I'm not likely to forget this anytime soon."

No, he thought with an inward grin, it was true that she might not forget anytime soon but he had his ways of distracting her, be it with food…or sex. The blonde cast a glance at his oblivious mate. She was all dressed up for bed and smelled really good. She also felt receptively warm and soft against him, and he was quite tempted to drop his plate and just devour her instead. Unfortunately, there was still the rather large elephant in the room to deal with, and he didn't quite trust that it would go away by itself unless he did something about it.

Belphegor was no expert on women, and especially not the strange type that was his wife, but he knew enough from the last time that just like the other females of the species, she could turn into a furiously possessive, jealous bat out of hell when properly incited. He didn't particularly mind being in range of her attacks when she was pouring all that raw, angry energy into enriching their sex lives, but wasn't really as interested to find out just how many ways she could channel that same energy into devious methods of revenge and humiliation. The fact that she was being oh-so-nonchalant and innocent about the whole matter was making alarm bells ring in his head (she had tricked him like that once before, after all), and even though he had easily ignored them so far, that feeling of foreboding was getting quite annoying to tolerate all the same, so Belphegor would rather get the whole thing over with before it exploded in his face when he least expected it.

She was showing kittenish relaxation and such unconscious trust around him that it was difficult to believe that she might be plotting his downfall, but he had always been quite the suspicious bastard despite his deceptively laidback, insanely giggly nature, and that precious trait had saved his life more than once. Of course, she was still quietly muttering to herself about his less than tidy nature, but had that just been a ruse to get him to lower his guard around her?

Belphegor turned his head slightly to look at his wife. The woman was happily eating her cake and did not appear to be emitting any sort of murderous intent; if anything, she was quickly turning into a boneless mass of contentment, affectionately melding against his form like it was completely natural for her to do so. He was starting to get slightly irritated whilst attempting to analyze her incongruent actions, and that was enough for him to confront her about it outright.

"Why are you still harping on that? Aren't you supposed to be worried about something else right now?" he asked then, and she actually looked at him with bewilderment.

"Something else?" she echoed. "Like what?"

He was beginning to see where she was going with this, what with the innocently baffled look as well as the seemingly perplexed expression in her eyes. A-ha, a guilt trip must be the choice of weapon this time around. His irritation abated and he started to smirk slightly at her, mentally switching gears in preparation to deal with this latest problem.

He was so proud; his cute little mate was actually learning how to resort to emotional blackmail. Of course, he would have to teach her that it wouldn't work with him, but that was beside the point.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he retorted, but when Haru continued to look at him with that small furrow between her brows, he rolled his eyes and continued. "You do not have to feign ignorance anymore; Mortigor told me about your encounter with Galatea."

Realization seemed to occur to her quickly at his comment. "Oh…that," she spoke lamely. Then, she fixed her attention on the leftover chocolate sauce that had been smeared on her fork and unthinkingly ran her finger over the metal, catching the last remnants of the sweet chocolate on the tip of her digit before licking it off. It was all quite innocent on her part; she had genuinely enjoyed the dessert and hadn't wanted to leave even a smudge behind, but of course her husband had promptly mistaken her unthinking gesture as something much more suggestive, and his smirk widened.

"You really want to play it this way, huh?" he mused, and she lifted her eyes to stare at him with increasing confusion.

"Play what?" Haru asked.

She was definitely overdoing the coyness thing in his opinion, but in the interest of playing along, he let it go this time. The blonde abandoned his plate on the coffee table and then promptly relieved hers from her as well, ignoring her protests. Then, he twisted his upper torso towards her and easily caged her in between himself and the back of the sofa, leaning in so close that their faces were nearly touching. That sly smile was still prevalent on his face, effectively hiding his thoughts as usual, and she stilled instinctively when he pressed near.

Mink was smart enough to quickly skitter away, now quite used to the behaviors of his two favorite humans, not that either of them was paying him any mind at the moment. A small, quiet exhalation escaped Haru, and then, before Bel could do anything else, she placed her small, warm palms on his cheeks and reached up towards him, lightly brushing her lips against his in an unmistakable gesture of gentle affection.

Not surprisingly, she tasted of chocolate. It was delicious and he wanted more.

He didn't allow her to pull away after that, ducking swiftly after her to capture her mouth in a deeper kiss, one that was more carnal in nature and much less innocent. He nudged her mouth open and pushed his tongue in, swiftly seeking to dance and mate with its counterpart. Haru made a small sound from her throat, her doe-like eyes sliding shut with pleasure, her face tilted to his even as she curled her arms around his neck and held herself close to him. She was so sweetly willing as usual, and her inherently giving nature never failed to incite wild lust in him. The Prince of Hell had caught hold of his pure angel, and he wanted nothing more than to debauch her until she was wholly marked as his, and only his.

Haru quickly found herself being knocked flat against the couch, the hem of her modest nightshirt pushed up to bunch around her hips as her husband climbed on top of her. His mouth was hot against hers, warm and wet as he trailed kisses from her jaw line to her neck, and then he bit and sucked on her clavicle, and Haru let out a soft, lingering moan of encouragement. Her body tingled for his touch and she nuzzled him blindly with growing need, her hands stroking whatever part of him that she could reach. Belphegor shuddered inwardly at her tender, feathery touches, luxuriating under her attention, digging his nose deeper into the side of her neck even as he kissed the silky column of her flesh with fervent desire.

She was like a damned drug, the golden-haired Varia thought through a heady cloud of pleasure and euphoria, and he wanted her like nothing else in this world. He pulled back slightly to look at her then, chuckling softly when he glimpsed the glazed, distracted look on her face. Her eyes were soft as they were focused on him though, so trusting and filled with undisguised tenderness that it was almost humbling.

He suddenly had the strangest compulsion to just hold on to her and never let her go, but he brushed the notion away before he could think too much of it.

"Ask me anything you want regarding my relationship with Galatea, and then we will never speak of this again. I'd rather you hear the truth from me than whatever twisted version that woman chooses to spin." He lowered his head to drop wet kisses against the elegant curve of her shoulder.

Haru said nothing though, and finally, Bel lifted his head to gauge her reaction. She just continued to look at him.

"No? Nothing to ask at all?" he queried once more, surprised. He had been prepared to take on a barrage of questions from her.

Haru shook her head after a thoughtful pause. "It's already in the past, right?" she asked simply. Before he could reply, she continued in a quieter tone, looking straight at him as she did so. "And I trust in the vows we took when we got married, so I shouldn't doubt you."

She sounded completely convinced by her own reasoning, no doubt derived in the hours after the confrontation with Galatea, and Belphegor arched his brow.

"So you are not jealous at all?" He was quite dubious and it showed. His mate promptly smacked him on the arm and gave him a sharp look.

"Of course I'm jealous," she muttered, not even thinking to lie to him to save her pride. "I am very jealous. Galatea-san knew you for far longer than I did; she probably knew a lot about you as well. She must have known a side of you that I don't, and that makes me unhappy. I have always known that you have had other women before me, and I have told myself before that it is possible I might come across some of them in the future, but it is still…difficult..."

She trailed off, the look on her face one of mild upset. She bit her lip slightly before she spoke some more, spilling her insecurities for her mate to hear. "And Galatea-san is so beautiful and elegant, and raised to be your equal. I don't understand-"

"There is nothing to understand," he cut her off before she could say anything more. "That woman is not mine and I won't give a damn about her. You, on the other hand, belong to me. You are mine alone and hell will freeze over first before I let go of you. It is as simple as that; how many times do I have to say this before it finally gets into your thick head?"

It was just like him to add something completely unnecessary after mentioning those very nice, reassuring things to her (even if he did say them in his usual blasé manner), but she couldn't bring herself to mind his quirks this time around. The secret doubts in her heart seemed to have eased significantly, replaced by the comforting feeling of contentment and happiness.

"Well, I don't think that is going to stick in my head for long," she remarked, her fingers idly caressing his cheek. He was more than happy to lean into her touch. "You will have to remind me whenever I forget."

He snorted. "What are you? Inflicted with Alzheimer's already?"

Belphegor promptly earned another smack from his wife, and then she contradicted her actions by reaching up slightly to kiss the side of his mouth. "Yeah? Well, I love you too, you irritating man."

Belphegor chuckled, quite pleased to hear the words from her. "That is only natural. I'm an excellent catch. I'm a Prince, after all."

Haru rolled her eyes. "You are so full of it," she muttered disdainfully, but without much heat in her tone. In fact, she was also trying not to smile. Not for the first time, he was unwittingly attracted to her by the twinkle in her eyes as well as the twitch of her lips.

"You know," he started casually then, on a completely random topic, "I happen to know of an excellent way to burn off all the calories you just consumed."

Haru would be an absolute idiot not to know what he was talking about. She shot him an amused/exasperated stare. "Let me guess," she retorted with good humor. "You want to have sex now."

"No," he corrected silkily. "I want to have sex with my wife now. There's a difference." Before she could say anything to that, he swiftly got off her and scooped her up into his arms, prompting a surprised squeal from her.

"Bel!" she protested even as she instinctively threw her arms around his neck for dear life. "What about all that leftover food? Don't just waste it like that!"

It was nice to know her priorities in this situation, when all he could think about right now was how many ways he planned to take his pleasure from her warm, willing body. He strode a few steps to their bed, dropped her unceremoniously onto the soft surface, and then promptly followed her down. Haru squeaked as she quickly found herself lying right under her mate once more, his hands already busily stripping her bare of her clothes. She caught sight of the very attractive, devilish grin on his face.

"We will leave the food for round two," he purred, and her eyes widened.

"Eeh?"

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

My apologies for the late update, my dear readers! The festive mood caught up with me and there were so many things to do that I ended up procrastinating somewhat and putting my fics on the backburner for awhile. Anyway, even though this is rather belated, I hope all of you had enjoyed a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

For those of you who were expecting some sort of melodrama after Galatea's unexpected disclosure in the last chapter, well, as you can see, that did not happen. Even though Haru did feel jealous over the fact that her husband used to have a relationship with Galatea, she was not so carried away by her feelings to be completely blinded by them. It is true that Belphegor used to be lovers with his distant cousin, but that is clearly not the case anymore and I like to believe that a twenty-four year old Haru would be mature and level headed enough to understand that, not to mention retain enough trust in her husband not to erupt in tearful accusations and rampages of jealousy every time an ex-lover of his randomly popped out of the woodwork.

Of course, she'd definitely have a much more _violent_ reaction in the event that he was actively cheating on her—she'd probably cry her eyes out and then try to murder him herself for betraying her like that—but since that's not the case, I think Haru is objective enough to recognize that Belphegor's liaison with Galatea is something of the past and should not be focused upon as anything else but ancient history.

Last but not least, I personally find this version of Haru rather charming, and I bet Belphegor is also rather appreciative of the fact that his wife has not turned into an angry shrew due to this situation!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

It is mentioned in the Hitman Reborn! Wiki that Belphegor is a rather messy individual, so it makes sense that poor Haru (as well as their staff) would be forever picking up after him and his sloppy ways, no matter how often she complained that of him. On the other hand, it is also known that Haru cannot resist cakes and desserts and even has a 'Haru Appreciation Day' every third Sunday of the month to celebrate that fact, so I suppose they both have their quirks, which, of course, makes them even more endearing to write together!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	48. Chapter 48

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7434

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 20/01/12

* * *

**Chapter Forty Eight**

* * *

"You know, you are just making things difficult for yourself by being here," Belphegor remarked bluntly as he looked idly at his fellow aristocrat. The blonde was leaning casually against a tall window frame, his arms crossed over his chest and exuding a relaxed, bored, air. The good-looking, smartly uniformed Varia made an elegant picture amongst the formal setting of the English styled tea room, and so did his counterpart. The icily beautiful, golden-haired Marquise was seated gracefully on the lounge sofa facing the Crown Prince, her carriage perfect and her glittering amethyst eyes watching him closely.

Galatea folded her hands on her lap and ignored his comment.

"I see that you have finally deigned to meet me, Belphegor," she spoke calmly. "I was correct to assume that you would require additional incentives to do so."

The Crown Prince snorted under his breath. "If by 'incentives' you mean 'telling my impressionable wife about that stupid mistake I made in my youth,' then yes, you have my attention. And allow me to inform you now that you are just wasting your time, de Fronsac."

The noblewoman merely continued to give him an unflappable, measured look. "Am I?" she asked coolly instead. "You are here now, talking to me, aren't you?"

Belphegor just looked at her. Then he smiled sharply. "That I am," he acknowledged in a dangerous drawl. "But you really don't want to try my patience, Galatea. The only reason I'm playing your little game is because I'm indulging my wife's request to 'play nice,' and not because of the various dramatics that you think to come up with."

The Marquise's neutral gaze slowly turned hard at the mention of the Princess Consort. "I see how it is," she replied coldly. "I did not believe it at first, but I realized now that you have sunk to an all-time low, to allow yourself to be completely mesmerized by an insignificant commoner with nothing to offer."

Surprisingly enough, Belphegor did not react to that sharp rebuke. Instead, his lips pulled back to form a toothy smirk. "Careful there, jealousy is unbecoming for a member of the noble class," he rebutted with silky venom. "But I understand your frustration; how it must sting your pride to know that I'd gladly prefer to pay homage at the feet of that 'insignificant commoner' than at yours, hmm, _Marquise_?"

Galatea was expressionless, but the way the corner of her eyes tightened with silent fury made Belphegor bare his teeth with vindictive pleasure. It was the least he could do after all the emotional mayhem that she had upended on Haru. Still, the beautiful blonde was able to regain her composure quickly enough, and she shot him a cold stare.

"It is not wise to snub me, Prince Belphegor," she spoke icily. "You will find that I am not someone whom you can easily intimidate."

In return, the Prince promptly dropped all pretense of displaying geniality towards his contemporary, not that he had actually succeeded in the first place. He sneered. "Count yourself lucky that's all I'm doing. You are fortunate that my wife was not upset after that stunt you pulled, or I'd really give you something to cry home about."

The threat was by no means friendly; in fact, it was cold, curt, and downright hostile. Belphegor was becoming increasingly annoyed with the other blonde's antics, not to mention how his butler had been more than happy to relay blow by blow accounts the number of times his ex-lover had been making life difficult for his wife.

To her credit, Galatea did not even flinch at his harsh tone.

"Is she all you can talk about now?" she asked coolly, as unperturbed and as composed as always. With narrowed eyes, Belphegor promptly remembered why he had quickly gotten bored of her even when she had been his first relationship. She was still the same after all these years; frigid as hell, emotionally detached, and about as expressive as a mannequin. Haru might not be as beautiful or as graceful or even as accomplished as Galatea, but when compared to the warmth and vitality of his little mate, well, it was really a no brainer just who he would choose.

Belphegor decided that he must have been both unthinkingly foolish and stupidly horny when he got together with the then seventeen year old Marquise nearly a decade ago (that and the fact that her parents had thrown them together all summer the year he turned sixteen), and what do you know; the mistakes of the past do come back to haunt you when you least expect them to. Resigned to the current messy situation, the Varia decided he should at least be thankful that he had found Haru before this entire fiasco began, or he wouldn't even have known what he had been missing all these years. And now that he had his sparrow, they must be out of their damned minds to think that he would settle for anything less.

Without pause, Belphegor swiftly answered Galatea, smiling sharply at the other blonde as he did so. "Why, yes. Didn't you just mention it yourself? I'm completely mesmerized by my wife; what else would I talk about?"

He was being very snide and sarcastic, and for a moment, it almost looked as if he would succeed in forcing the other aristocrat to lose her temper. Unfortunately, that was not the case; the Marquise de Fronsac had always maintained a tight reign over her emotions and this time was no different. His ex-lover cast him a jaded, almost contemptuous look.

"So you fancy yourself in love with a commoner, Your Highness?" she asked then, her tone haughty and scornful.

Belphegor's smile widened to form a dangerous smirk. "Do you feel threatened by my unreserved affection towards my 'insignificant commoner wife?'" he asked her back smoothly, viciously amused. "You should. After all, we both know for a fact I have never showed you even a fraction of the attention I lavish on my wife. Are you sure that this is the life you want for yourself, Galatea de Fronsac? To spend the rest of your life bound to someone who doesn't give a damn about you, chained in a gilded hell of your own making, and forever playing second fiddle to a woman who you deem inferior to your own highborn status?"

Belphegor did not take care to mince his words; he spoke them bluntly and silkily, his tone edged with a lethal combination of velvet barbs and thorns. Galatea flinched inwardly at his prediction of the future, but still she did not back down.

"You will tire of her eventually," she replied in partial answer to his previous question. "She does not belong to our world and you will understand that soon enough."

Belphegor arched his brow at her composed reply. She sounded quite sure of herself, and for a while he said nothing, merely observed the proud noblewoman with clinical detachment.

"Will I?" he asked at last, softly and dangerously. "Dare you bet your future on that outcome, Marquise? My wife is someone the likes of whom I have never met before, and I have no qualms admitting to the fact that I am obsessed with her very being. She takes up my full attention all by herself, and I am more than happy to let her monopolize it. She commands my thoughts effortlessly, and I allow her to do so. She can arouse me with nothing more than the sound of her voice as well as the scent of her hair, and I am struck by the need to couple with her as often as I can."

Belphegor glanced over at Galatea's body then, making the motions to carefully look over the Marquise's impeccably maintained form and physique. He looked bored and sardonically amused at the same time. At last, the Prince met the angered gaze of his aristocratic counterpart, and then he smiled slowly, condescendingly. "Do you really believe that you can compete against the absolute allure that she holds over me?"

Amethyst eyes flashed with silent rage, and Galatea found herself unable to answer the man. And really, her silence said just about everything.

Belphegor scoffed lightly under his breath, at last pushing away from his post by the window. This conversation was nearly over as far as he was concerned. The blonde prowled lazily towards the exit of the tea room, flickering a look at the stiff form of the Marquise as he did so, unmoving in her seat on the sofa, most likely frozen in place with anger and humiliation.

"I expect you to vacate this place within the next few days," he told her flatly, not particularly caring of the noblewoman's current emotional state or lack thereof. "Your presence is unwelcomed here, so take yourself off and go bother some other poor, defenseless schmuck who'd be more receptive to your charms. I'm not the only eligible Crown Prince around; if you are so desperate to become Queen, I'm sure that there are others who might consider taking you up on the position."

Belphegor smiled silkily at Galatea, the meaning of his words exceedingly clear. "Look elsewhere, Marquise; this ship has long since sailed."

* * *

Belphegor found Haru in the courtyard moments later. It was a wonderful spring day, and the weather was just perfect for being outside; neither too warm nor too cold. As such, the brunette had decided to work outdoors instead of within the dungeon vaults as she usually did, and could be seen fiddling with her laptop on one of the garden benches, a pot of tea and a plate of cookies sitting on the side table and her bored flame animal perched lazily on her shoulder, sunning idly as it watched its owner play with the strange metallic contraption.

It was a relatively peaceful scene, at least until Bel-kun spotted his namesake approaching and responded accordingly. The Sun Flame Sparrow Hawk started to puff up from its initially relaxed state, its sharp golden eyes narrowing on the lanky human male it detested, coincidentally the same human who kept monopolizing the attention of its mistress and always carried the detestable scent of an egg stealer. Indignant, the small accipiter let out a shrill cry of warning and instinctively spread out its wings to look more intimidating, not so coincidentally smacking its owner with a face full of feathers as it did so.

Haru sputtered at her bird's defensive action. She had been about to solve a particularly tricky syntax error in the code that she had recently written when her sight was abruptly obscured by the equivalent of an avian slap to the face, and then Bel-kun was digging its needle-fine claws into her shoulder in agitation, much to Haru's wince of dismay.

Recently, she had been getting along with her fussy box animal even better than before; Bel-kun was a lot less wary around her after all the constant interaction she had with it the past few months, patiently showing that she would never hurt it and that she would never attempt to trick it back into the box, and her dedication had eventually paid off. The Sparrow Hawk was no longer as defensive around her and would now come to her when she called—when it felt like answering her, that was. Of course, the flighty bird of prey still acted out sometimes, most notably when her equally flighty husband also happened to be in the vicinity—

The sound of approaching footsteps coincided with Haru's disoriented thoughts, and she raised her hands to gently bat away the flustered motions of her angry bird. Sure enough, a certain blonde Varia quickly came into view, and he had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the entire debacle that was his wife and her crazy box animal.

"Tch. What's that dumb bird trying to do now?" Belphegor asked as he observed the Sun Flame animal, who was at the moment screeching indignities in his direction and at the same time attempting to climb on top of its flailing mistress's head, which made for a rather ridiculous sight as Haru yelped with discomfort when the avian's claws got tangled in her hair.

"O- ow! Bel-kun- Stop!" Haru pleaded as her box animal ignored her and hastily clambered onto the top of her head in an ungainly manner, feathers ruffled and glaring at its owner's mate. The feathered menace made for a very strange hat on his wife, and if it was a cat, Belphegor would bet that it'd be hissing defensively at him at that moment, its hackles raised with affront. As it was, the rather vocal accipiter was still shrieking angrily at him, all but daring him to come closer, and after awhile, Belphegor just got tired of all the noisy screeching.

He stalked towards the garden bench, ignoring the increased volume exploding from the bird at his proximity—really, that animal was just like Haru sometimes; how else could so much noise escape such a small body? He scowled slightly at the hawk, whose tail feathers were by now beginning to flare with warning Sun Flames. "Shut up, you flying pest," he muttered with irritated exasperation. "Or I will get Mink out to give you something to really squeal about."

Haru split her attention from trying to calm down her hawk to frown slightly at her husband as he strolled nearer. "Bel, please don't bully Bel-kun. You know that he is easily agitated especially when you are around."

The Sun Flame Sparrow Hawk was indeed quite upset with his namesake's presence, and as Belphegor neared, the box animal tensed, looking momentarily torn between initiating a fight or flight sequence. The golden-haired Varia merely raised a brow at the affronted animal and confidently continued to move forward, and that cinched his victory. With a piercing shriek of displeasure, the bird quickly chose to retreat, launching itself into the air and seeking a safer refuge from the evil predator-like hunter up amongst the trees.

Belphegor snorted. "Still a coward, I see," he muttered not so impressively, and Haru just sighed. It would be nice if Belphegor could just get along with her box animal, but despite the fact that Bel-kun had been a gift from her husband, they mixed together about as well as oil and water. They both seemed to rub each other the wrong way and Haru plain refused to believe that they were just jealous of one another for each taking up her attention; that was just ridiculous, wasn't it?

The brunette absently patted her hair down, previously mussed by all the indignant shuffling that had been caused by her bird before it flew off in a huff. "You know," she started in an exasperated tone. "You really aren't that young anymore, Bel. Must you really insist on feuding with a bird?"

Belphegor looked insulted. "It's not a feud; that pea brained pet of yours is not intelligent enough to feud with someone of my caliber. I'd much prefer the term 'conflict of interest.'"

Haru just stared at her husband as he stood across the garden bench a short distance away from her. "Is that supposed to sound any better?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't really care-"

There was a rustle from the shaded canopies overhead then, and without warning, the animal that they had been talking about suddenly burst out of the foliage in a flash of Sun Flames, and Haru gawked in surprise as her Sparrow Hawk abruptly descended upon Belphegor in a steep, vengeful swoop, a sharp cry of challenge bursting from its throat as it bravely dive bombed its mortal enemy.

"Uhm-" the brunette could only manage to utter as her small bird of prey attempted to take on an opponent a few hundred times heavier than itself. Belatedly, Haru just knew that whatever the outcome of this situation, it was going to be Bel's fault for egging on her bird in the first place. Really; did he have to antagonize everyone when he had nothing better to do?

"Heh." Belphegor just tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and watched idly as the bird neared. A small, gleeful smile sat on his face as he stared defiantly at the approaching winged missile, and Belphegor made full eye contact with the avian the entire while, almost as if daring the Flame animal to unleash its fiercest attack.

Somehow, he wasn't particularly surprised when the dumb bird lost its nerve midway and veered off course abruptly, pulling upwards sharply when it was almost within striking range to safely glide past him overhead instead. The aerodynamic gymnastics that the hawk had pulled off to achieve such a graceful and complicated flight maneuver was certainly impressive to watch, but Belphegor was quite disappointed by its distinct lack of resolve all the same.

"Tch," the blonde scoffed. "It really is just a useless bird after a-"

_That_, was when Bel-kun launched its real attack.

The only warning Belphegor received was the swift gathering of power that he quickly sensed just above his head, and then, with a vindictive, victorious shriek, Bel-kun promptly released the mass of Sun Flames on top of his namesake.

It was only thanks to the Storm Varia's swift reflexes that he narrowly avoided being hit by the dangerous concentration of supercharged fire, and even as he instinctively threw himself to the side, the blonde could feel the brush of fiery heat licking against the exposed nape of his neck, followed swiftly by the significant vibrations of a small explosion as the attack hit the ground just right behind him and promptly detonated upon impact. The resulting blast was powerful enough to shake the ground.

What. The. _Hell_.

Haru's mouth fell open as she witnessed the scope of the entire attack from a fair distance. Granted, the resulting damage from Bel-kun's swift, unexpected attack could not be considered large scale especially in view of the devastating type of property damage that the Varia Commanders and even the Vongola Guardians could easily unleash with a snap of their fingers, but it was still very impressive to see all the same. Never had the brunette thought that her adorably huffy little box animal would actually be able to pull off a Flame-based attack like it just had, though the origin of the Sun Flames was certainly even more unexpected…

Belphegor rolled back onto his feet smoothly, recovering swiftly and just in time to see the Sparrow Hawk sail gracefully through the air and back towards the tree that its owner was situated under. The blonde royal also saw the bird turn its head slightly as if to look at him from the edge of its peripheral vision as it made its way back to its perch, and then, in an unmistakable display of superiority, the damn avian flippantly flipped—_flipped!_—its tail feathers at him as it turned its attention back to making a perfect landing amongst the sheltered branches.

Unbelievable; he had just been dissed _by a bird_. And that attack-!

A vein throbbed on Belphegor's temple, and the blonde scowled ferociously. "That flying rat-" he hissed furiously, and was about summon Mink to deal with the cocky animal when Haru inconveniently interrupted his outburst.

"Oh my," she commented then, impressed and recovering from her surprise at the same time. "I have never seen Bel-kun do anything like that before. How amazing!"

Just like that, Bel's ire at the Sun Flame Sparrow Hawk was promptly transferred to its oblivious owner. The blonde stalked over to Haru immediately, growling the entire while. "What do you mean by 'amazing?' That bird of yours just tried to kill me!"

Haru was simply unfazed by the accusation of attempted murder that her husband had just leveled at her box animal. She even shrugged slightly at him. "Really, you are just being unnecessarily melodramatic," she told her flabbergasted mate. "As if an attack of that magnitude could kill you so easily; you evaded it, didn't you?"

"Yes, of course I did, but-"

"And besides," Haru continued logically, giving him a mildly reproachful look at the same time. "You were deliberately provoking Bel-kun, so you can't really blame him for finally responding to your insults, you know."

Belphegor was definitely feeling quite cross by then, and he wasted no time going straight to the heart of the problem. "That bird threw its crap at me!"

The accusation sounded downright ridiculous, and Haru was hard pressed not to laugh at the severely piqued expression on her husband's face. Her lips twitched slightly from the effort not to burst into laughter. A somewhat disheveled, indignant Belphegor was not something she got to see every day, after all.

"I'm pretty sure Bel-kun didn't really _throw_ it at you," she corrected even as she tried hard not to let her laughter over the situation leak through. "He just decided to go right over your head and let gravity do the rest. You have to admit that infusing Sun Flames to create a dung bomb was simply ingenious."

It was then that her disgruntled mate finally realized that she was deriving an unholy amount of amusement over the whole matter. He stared at her with a fierce scowl, and Haru just lost it there and then. She promptly burst into merry peals of laughter, bending over and laughing so hard and so loudly that she was quickly growing red in the face and her sides were beginning to hurt.

Belphegor sneered at his wife, who was practically crying with laughter by then. "You think this is very funny, don't you?" he demanded angrily. Haru nodded shamelessly in between gasps of laughter.

"Oh, you should have seen the look on your face-" she broke off then into another fit of giggles, and before he could say something about that, a small group of fully armed foot soldiers stampeded over in a hurry, no doubt alarmed by the sound and resulting tremors of the explosion.

They were certainly quite bewildered when all they encountered was an irritably cussing Storm Unit Commander as well as his hysterically amused wife. Then, the blonde Prince dismissed all of them with the strangest explanation that made no sense: "All of you can go. We are not under attack; her bird was just taking a dump."

What kind of bird caused explosions with their droppings; they had no idea. Still, the men collectively decided to be on the lookout for dangerous falling projectiles the next time they ventured out to the courtyard, especially if the slightly ruffled appearance of the Varia Commander was to be of any indication.

Haru was wiping tears from her eyes by the time the soldiers slowly retreated, still emitting occasional chuckles of mirth even as Belphegor returned his attention to scowling ferociously at her.

"Oh, come on," she spoke then, cajoling. "It was funny!"

"I'm not amused," he muttered back at her, but it was difficult to be truly angry at the woman when she was looking at him like that, a wide, impish smile on her face and her doe brown eyes alight with laughter. He turned his gaze from her reluctantly to scan the treetops instead, his glare sharpening as he spotted the golden-brown plumage of the feathered menace. The small accipiter would hardly count as an opponent—more of a nuisance actually—if he really got serious about exterminating it, but that stupidly violent, irritable bird had somehow became a treasured pet to his wife and he had no doubt that she would raise hell if he got rid of it now.

Tch, if he had known that this would be the case, he would have gotten her a gun instead of a box weapon. It would have saved him quite some grief in the process.

There and then, Belphegor decided that there was a ring of truth in Galatea's words after all; he had indeed sunk to an all-time low, to be engaged in a rivalry with a bird, of all things. The Storm Varia wondered what other absurd things he would find himself doing in the near future, and promptly scowled further.

Haru came up to him then, nudging him gently before linking her arm with his, leaning against him with affection. She sighed gustily, as if expelling the last vestiges of the imaginary laughing gas that she inhaled earlier, and dropped her head against the side of his shoulder.

"Bel-kun is growing up well, huh?" Haru remarked with a small, proud grin. "I wonder what else he is capable of. You seem to bring out the best in him."

Belphegor muttered something rude under his breath, but Haru just pretended not to hear him. "You can't call him useless anymore," she continued, her eyes tracking her preening bird who looked quite pleased with itself at the moment. "He did surprise you, didn't he?"

Before he could say anything to that, Haru tilted her head up, cupped her hands to her mouth, and hollered. "Good job, Bel-kun! I will get you something nice to eat later, okay?"

And damn if the bird didn't spread its wings slightly and scream down an appropriately smug reply. Belphegor twitched and glared at the Sparrow Hawk, his ire renewed. "Damned bird! Get down here and we will see how smug you will be when I get my hands around your skinny neck!"

Not surprisingly, he was completely ignored, and once again, the flabbergasted/disgruntled look on his face was so funny that Haru huffed with laughter. Her mate turned to growl at her. "And you! I'm your husband! How can you side with a bird-"

Haru poked him in the side before he could finish his tirade. "Oh, quiet you," she hushed her fussing lover. "Wasn't the purpose of this whole fracas just to show that Bel-kun can defend himself?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What? No! Do I look that free?"

Haru was hard pressed not to roll her eyes at that. "And with that, you know you have just inadvertently admitted to being free enough to provoke a bird just for kicks and giggles, right?"

Belphegor didn't even seem fazed by her dry remark.

"Well, yes! It was just for kicks and giggles until he tried to crap on me! Now it's really war!"

It did not escape Haru's attention that her husband happened to be more fixated on that fact than anything else, the most important one being that Bel-kun had just pulled off a Flame-based attack, even if a rather unorthodox one. Good god, her husband could be such a complete airhead sometimes.

"Bel!" She poked him again. "Don't bully Bel-kun! I think he did very well. It was unexpected, clean and fast. He's like a miniature mobile artillery unit, and all I have to do is keep feeding him!"

Her bird's namesake just stared at her. "Are you trying to piss me off too?" he asked her.

Haru was hardly intimidated by his question and bristly attitude. Still smiling slightly, she shook her head and merely hugged him closer to herself, at the same time tugging her mumbling husband out of the courtyard. She would have to return for her laptop and other stuff later, but that was okay. "No, I'm not trying to piss you off; you are already quite worked up by yourself as it is. I was just stating the facts and it is unfortunate that you didn't like to hear it. Hmm…what do you think we should name Bel-kun's attack?"

If she could see his eyes at that moment, then she would notice that they were most definitely narrowed as he looked at her. "You _are_ trying to piss me off," he accused.

Haru's shoulders shook slightly. "Maybe a little," she admitted with a small laugh. "You are pretty funny like this."

Belphegor was definitely insulted, not to mention more than a little chagrinned. "Funny? I'm not trying to be funny. I'm intimidating, not _funny_."

His wife gave him an elegant little shrug. "Well, I'm not intimidated, so you will just have to settle for this."

Before he could ask what 'this' was supposed to refer to, she paused in her tracks, pulling him to a stop as well, reached up towards him, and planted a kiss on his scowling lips.

"Now, please get over this snit already, will you?" she requested good naturedly as she pulled back to look at him, and they continued to walk towards the castle once more. "Don't you find it a bit embarrassing to be angry with a bird?"

The blonde glared slightly. "No, not really." he admitted brazenly. "I'm not embarrassed at all. I'm a Prince; I can do whatever I want. Who dares tell me otherwise?"

Haru just sighed. "I'm going to have to hear about this for the rest of my life, aren't I?" she mused almost to herself, and then she glanced sideways at him. "Alright, I give. What am I going to have to do to soothe your temper, oh irritable/flighty/moody husband of mine? Sometimes, I think that you act more like the woman in our relationship."

Her husband just gave her a look. "Careful there; you don't sound all that contrite and grateful to me like you should, considering I have just taken care of Galatea for you."

The brunette paused in the midst of forming her exasperated rejoinder to look at him in surprise. "Wait- Galatea-san? Taken care…of? You spoke to Galatea-san just now?"

Belphegor shrugged. "Che, I took care of it since you didn't even look like you had the intention of starting a bitch fight with her. It has been two weeks since she arrived here, and I'm frankly getting quite bored of waiting."

Haru just stared at him. "Bitch…fight?" she echoed in disbelief. "You were waiting for…" Her eyes narrowed with realization, and then she promptly delivered a hard smack on his arm. "I can't believe you! Pervert! Just what were you hoping to see?"

He caught her hand easily before she could attempt to hit him again. The woman never pulled her punches when it came to her infuriated attacks on him, and although he had received infinitely worse injuries before, being whacked like that was still uncomfortable as hell. He easily ignored her ruffled mutters and pulled her along until they reached a hidden alcove, ducking into it and backing her against a wall, neatly trapping her in the process. He grinned at her mildly irritated expression and leaned in close.

"Hmm…what was I hoping to see, you ask?" he murmured in a low drawl. Haru stopped fussing to see what he was up to now. "Well, let's just say that I get very excited when I see your more possessive side. That my meek little sparrow can get so fired up and deviously furious with jealousy over me is always a thrilling experience."

Haru just gave her gleeful husband a dirty look. It was amazing enough to her that he could sound so completely casual while talking about such ridiculous things, and it wasn't helping at all that she was also turning bright red in reaction to the nonsense that he was spouting.

"It's not supposed to be a thrilling experience!" she rebutted back. "And I most definitely do not want to get jealous over you all the time; how would you feel if there was some guy persistently trying to woo me away from you and off with him to get married?"

He chuckled at her heated question; actually chuckled! "That is unlikely to happen," he told her in an amused tone that quickly raised her hackles, not to mention prick at her feminine pride.

"Why?" Haru challenged irritably. "Because you think I'm not attractive enough to attract admirers, is that it?"

"No, that's not it," he told her with point blank honesty, a masculine, long tipped finger sliding down the side of her face, his veiled gaze locked onto her pleasing, delicate features. "You are fucking pretty enough to me."

Haru's eyes widened, and then she promptly turned a deeper shade of crimson. Now, how was she supposed to remain annoyed with him when he was always dropping these kind of unexpectedly sweet remarks to her?

Belphegor's grin widened then.

"It is unlikely because there are not many stupid enough to try to take away my woman. After all, your husband, I, happen to be within the top three percentile of powerful and influential men in the world. I won't forgive anyone dumb enough to try to steal you from me."

Haru tilted her head slightly to the side as she considered his words. "Isn't that also counted as a reaction borne from jealousy then?" she asked at last.

"Perhaps." He did not deny it. "Do you plan to incite my jealousy?"

The brunette stared at her husband, mildly disconcerted by the seriousness of his tone. She was already shaking her head in negative reply before she could think too much of his question.

"No," she answered readily. "Never. Jealousy, it is a terrible, destructive emotion. I'd never want you to experience it on my behalf."

He looked at her wordlessly for a moment, and then he smiled slowly. "That's a pity," he told her, softly. "I'd gladly kill for you."

She had no doubt that he meant every word, and the quiet intensity of his promise sent a guilty thrill of pleasure skittering straight down her spine. Haru trembled inwardly, caught in the irresistible allure of his mesmerizing voice, but just as quickly, she was appalled by her own reaction, chagrin flittering past her expressive features.

"No," she muttered quickly as she sought to regain her composure at the same time. "There will be absolutely no killing allowed, Bel. You may not believe this, but I'd never do anything to arouse your jealousy, or betray your trust- "

He kissed her abruptly before she could finish speaking, his mouth persuasive and insistent against hers, blatantly demanding her attention. Haru's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she did not resist his ardor. He pressed her against the wall and she slowly closed her eyes, instinctively relaxing into his embrace. It was easy to lose herself in the passion that he easily stirred up within her; she started to feel warm all over, her heart rate increased as she registered the familiar scent of his musky cologne and the inviting warmth of his body, until all she could sense was him. She became solely attuned to him, wrapped all around her, taking possession of her enraptured senses, easily commanding her thoughts even as he eased up on the pressure then, leisurely plundering her mouth, his tongue slipping past her soft lips to slide wetly against her own, the sensual, breathtaking sensation of his kiss enough to make her shiver lightly with pleasure despite the briefness of it.

He pulled back eventually, until only their lips were brushing in a chaste exchange, and she opened her eyes, her doe-like gaze slightly dazed and wondering as she stared at him. He drew away further from her then, stepping back and promptly releasing her from the narrow confines that he had trapped her in earlier, and Haru found herself disappointed by the abrupt loss of contact.

"Bel?" she asked at last, her soft voice husky. The question in her tone was unmistakable, and he glanced at her.

"You shouldn't make promises that are impossible to keep," he told her in response, and it took her awhile to comprehend what he was referring to.

The bewilderment in those expressive eyes of hers quickly made him feel as though he had just kicked a puppy, but Belphegor refused to take back his words.

"You think…" Haru trailed off, because the situation was so unbelievable that she nearly could not understand how it had suddenly turned this way. "You believe that…I'd betray you?" she whispered, even as a quiet coldness started to invade the vicinity of her chest.

His little wife looked so utterly hurt by then, and Belphegor wanted to swear. He should have shut his mouth just now. "No," he answered her instead. "I don't believe that you are capable of betrayal, but nothing is absolute in this world."

So it was not her that he could not fully trust, but the entire world in general. However, instead of comforting her, his cynical remark merely seemed to distress her further, this time for an entirely different reason. He observed her with a careful eye.

"Are you going to get angry now?" he asked.

Haru shook her head slowly. With visible effort, the brunette brought her emotions to heel. "I'm not angry, but I do feel a bit upset right now," she admitted. "What you just said…I didn't expect to hear that."

Belphegor folded his arms across his chest, wary. "What did you expect to hear, then?"

Haru found that she had no idea what to say. The brunette shook her head wordlessly once more. She looked at her husband with a subdued, downtrodden expression, and it was not difficult for him to guess what she was thinking. The blonde started to look exasperated. It was just like her, to be more upset by the reminder of his less than ideal upbringing than the fact that once again, he had just unwittingly hurt her with his unthinking words.

"Being too trusting is a liability in my line of occupation," he commented dryly then. "And I don't really care about that, so if you are going to start crying, you can stop now."

Haru sputtered. "I'm not going to cry!" she denied. "Your past was not _that_tragic," she muttered.

He smirked slightly at her. "Glad you know that. I had a very privileged childhood, so no need to pity me."

The brunette frowned.

"It's not pity." Haru quickly felt the need to clarify. She hesitated, and then looked at her husband with an unexpectedly steady gaze. "About what you said just now… Even if nothing is absolute in this world," she told him in a quiet, but firm voice. "I'd still trust you."

His smirk widened. "Yeah, I know."

Her naturally sweet nature was becoming more and more attractive to him by the second. The Storm Varia leaned towards his smaller mate, but this time around, she was the one who reached up to brush her lips against his in a chaste exchange, and then she nuzzled him with tender affection. He rumbled with pleasure and pressed in closer, his hands coming up to span her waist even as he pushed her up against the wall, becoming frisky now that they had sorted this out. Unfortunately for the assassin Prince, his wife quickly put a stop to his amorous shenanigans before he could get too out of hand, placing her palms against his chest in protest and trying her best to resist him.

"Bel! Wait!" Haru muttered, turning her head to the side exasperatedly when he simply absorbed her halfhearted struggles and shamelessly continued to molest her. Haru scowled slightly at his sudden selective deafness and with an irritated twitch of her eye, the brunette deftly reached up and made an unerring grab for his ear in a not-so-loving manner, promptly eliciting a hissed expletive from her husband as he pulled back in a hurry to get out of range of her quick, pinching fingers.

"Ouch, what the hell was that for, you violent woman?" Belphegor growled, restraining urge to rub his stinging flesh. His unrepentant wife just frowned at him.

"I'm not done talking yet," she told him pointedly, and he just stared at her incredulously.

"In that case, what was that thing about just now?"

"What thing?" she retorted quizzically. "The 'pulling your ear' thing? You want me to give it a go again?" As if to demonstrate her point, she raised her hand and wiggled her thumb and index finger, and he stared at her as if she was crazy.

"No! Before that! Cuddling up to me and rubbing up against me!"

Haru felt her face heat up slightly at his words. Really, he made her sound like some incorrigible tease or something. "I was not 'rubbing up against' you!" she sputtered. "I was just showing my affection!"

He leered at her. "Well, and I'm just showing mine."

The pretty brunette felt her irritation falter at his silky rejoinder, her features pinkening further before she shook her head slightly to brush off her fluster, much to his interested stare. "You are just trying to take advantage of me again," she muttered quickly at last, choosing to ignore his blatant statement.

Her husband gave her an elegant shrug, certainly not denying anything. His fingers came up to stroke the line of her jaw even as he gave her a simple reply. "You are made for me; I don't see any reason why I shouldn't indulge."

The blonde proceeded to watch with masculine amusement as she started to turn red again. For all her bluster, his little mate was actually quite shy and unassumingly modest, easily flustered by the random little acts of attention he paid her. He didn't really mind that particular quirk of hers though, found the extra color on her cheeks quite attractive actually, and so it was becoming a personal hobby of his to see how often he could fluster her.

Not to mention, it was also quite entertaining when she floundered about and scrambled to regain her composure—like now. As always, she was terrible at concealing her emotions.

Haru turned her eyes from him briefly as she recollected herself. "Well, you can indulge later," she mumbled quietly, before leveling a firm stare at him once more. "And don't try to distract me from the original topic; whatever have you done to Galatea-san?"

"Why do you automatically assume that I have done something bad to Galatea?" Belphegor questioned then.

She just gave him a rather pointed look, and said nothing else. He smiled lazily at her and eased off her then, casually grabbing her hand and leading her out of the alcove. He seemed to enjoy the physical contact with her, and she didn't mind either. They continued walking down the deserted hallway. "You know, Galatea is not exactly as harmless as you delude yourself into thinking she is. And while we are on that topic, it is not wise to underestimate her; in fact, it'd be downright stupid to do so."

Haru frowned slightly. No doubt that the loyal and stoic Mortigor-san had reported her every action to her husband with unfailing promptness, though this was the first time Bel had given any indication that he was aware of her repeated, determined, attempts to befriend the Marquise—he had certainly never seem bothered before, and had allowed her free reign to do as she pleased.

"I know," she muttered at last. "Galatea-san is beautiful, rich, and titled. I'm sure that she's quite influential and well connected, but…"

Of course there would be a 'but.' There was always a 'but' with her when it came to situations like these, and Belphegor had a good hunch just what it was, without even her telling it to him.

"Let me guess," he interrupted exasperatedly. "For some absurd reason or another, you felt some misplaced sense of pity for her, the poor rich little girl?"

She didn't even seem chagrinned that he had correctly interpreted the reason behind her hesitation, though she did narrow her eyes slightly at him to show him what she thought of his derisive tone. "It's not pity," she insisted. "I just tried to put myself in her shoes right now and thought that I'd be feeling very lonely and unhappy if I was placed in the same situation, so I can't really force myself to resent her too much."

Haru glanced at her golden-haired husband then, before continuing in a secure, matter-of-fact manner. "And besides, now that I have spent the past few weeks or so getting to know Galatea-san better, I have quickly realized that I'm not threatened by her at all."

Belphegor had to raise his brow at that.

"Oh, and why is that so?"

The pretty Princess Consort subtly squeezed her husband's hand with affection, her expressive eyes shining with pure surety and conviction of her own feelings.

"Because I love you so much more than she does, and I won't ever lose when it comes to that."

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

In 'Of Sparrows and Princes,' Galatea and Belphegor had a very brief relationship when he was sixteen and she seventeen. Yes, her family had already tried once then to land the elusive and slippery Prince Belphegor, but clearly, that endeavor failed to come to any fruition. So now they are trying again, attempting to make use of the history between the two aristocrats to create a connection, but that isn't turning out too well either, unfortunately.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Some of you were asking about Bel-kun, so I thought I'd oblige and give him a cameo. As you can see, he is very healthy and alive, albeit somewhat grumpy and irritable as always, though he had finally gotten a one up on Belphegor this time around.

…and yes, for those who were still not quite certain of what Bel-kun's attack was about; he infused his droppings with Sun Flames and then went right over Belphegor's head. Our favourite Varia is, of course, not amused, but I personally found the scenario quite funny when I pictured it in my head, so I hope it entertained some of you too!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Even though happily married, Belphegor is still the same paranoid, suspicious bastard as he always was, and he still doesn't trusts easily, as shown in this instalment. It's not that he is deliberately mistrustful of Haru per se; he is unusually relaxed around her as it is, but a lifetime of conditioning isn't going to just go away so quickly like that. It's fortunate that Haru is rather understanding of her husband's various idiosyncrasies and is more or less able to work around them.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	49. Chapter 49

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing:**Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 6892

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 04/01/13

* * *

**Chapter Forty Nine**

* * *

The following afternoon, Haru could be found sitting in the private living room of Galatea's suite once again, and while not an uncommon sight since the Marquise's arrival to the Varia Castle, she had not been the one to request the meeting this time around. It was Galatea who had extended the invitation that morning, and although Haru had been initially surprised, she was more than glad to accept the subtle offer of a truce, swiftly brushing aside the less than amiable ending of their last tea session.

Upon arrival, Haru was promptly ushered to her usual seat across from Galatea by a servant and served a cup of steaming black tea. Haru sipped the hot brew quietly, curiously watching her beautiful companion as she patiently waited for the latter to speak. As always, the Marquise was a picture of elegant composure, stylishly attired in a way portrayed her blonde perfection to the best advantage, her stunning features betraying none of her thoughts whatsoever.

The well-coiffed, golden-haired beauty stared neutrally at the younger female who was the complete opposite of herself. With her clear cosmetic-free features, large doe eyes and innocently girlish appearance, the Royal Consort was passably pretty at most, but even in her simple attire of Capri pants and a casual, off-shouldered sweater, she still managed to pull off a spritely, artless allure regardless. Galatea was forced to admit that the seemingly plain looking brunette was rather attractive in a rare, unpretentious way—nothing like her own meticulously made up and painstakingly groomed perfection—and the bitter acknowledgement that the younger woman was more worthy of the Crown Prince's attention than herself made raw envy course through the veins of the Marquise.

It was glaringly obvious to Galatea now—without even the need to deliberately doll herself up for her powerful, highborn mate, the Princess Consort could still garner his full attention effortlessly.

It was a difficult pill to swallow; she had lost hands down this time around.

The Marquise's posture was rigid and unyielding as her hard gaze rested on the Princess.

"It seems that you are right, Royal Consort." The blonde's tone was cool, impersonal. Haru stared at her, waiting for further elaboration. And she did, with disparaging cynicism. "I was no threat to you. You win."

Haru was quickly reminded of her own less than modest claim the last time the two women were together; she had all but boasted to the Marquise that the latter posed no threat to her standing with her husband. Bel must have said something similar to Galatea, and knowing her significant other like she did, he must have been quite blunt about the whole thing as well, if the proud noblewoman's current behavior was to be of any indication.

"I'm sorry that you have to feel this way, Galatea-san," Haru murmured with sincerity, filled with the urge to mediate the increasingly awkward situation. "But Bel is very important to me, and I love him very much." She paused hesitatingly, before venturing on in a cautiously optimistic manner. "One day, Galatea-san will understand what I mean, when she meets someone who will love her unconditionally no matter what happens."

The Marquise did not react outwardly to the younger woman's hopeful statement. However, the glittering amethyst of her eyes was brittle and hostile. "You really think that the fickle minded and flighty Prince Belphegor _loves you unconditionally_?" The golden-haired beauty was mockingly skeptical at best and scathingly derisive at worst.

Haru flushed at the sophisticated female's scornful tone. She was wary of where their conversation was heading, unsure of just what Galatea-san was trying to say. Haru shook her head inwardly and promptly squashed that strange feeling, chalking up her oversensitivity to Galatea's peculiar habit of deliberately unsettling and upsetting the people around her. Still, she was unable to stop her own instinctive urge to defend her husband; despite his seemingly uncaring and at times self-absorbed behavior, he was really nowhere as callous or as shallow as he often liked to portray himself to be.

"I know that he cares for me," she replied firmly, her brown eyes steady and showing no doubts whatsoever. "I trust him."

There were simply no ifs, ands, or buts about it; Haru quickly made her stance very clear. But of course the brunette caught the piercing, unwavering stare of her counterpart and started to blush awkwardly, her modest Japanese upbringing kicking in to remind her just how unseemly it was to brag thusly of her loving relationship with her husband. Flustered, Haru quickly picked up her cup of tea and busied herself by drinking it, taking long sips of the fragrant, comforting concoction. Galatea waited until she had completely drained her cup before she spoke once more.

"You have that much trust in him?" the noblewoman asked coolly then. Haru nodded wordlessly, and the Marquise's gaze turned coldly blank, much to the brunette's slowly rising unease.

"I see," the beautiful woman acknowledged. Meanwhile, Haru's instincts were shifting with growing discomfort, warning that something was not right at all. Things were getting too strange for comfort. "In that case, shall we put your beloved Prince to the test, then? To see if he is indeed worthy of your blind devotion?"

The situation was rapidly degenerating from 'strange' to 'bizarre and downright creepy.' Galatea was eerily composed and saying things that made alarm bells ring in Haru's head. Subtly, the brunette glanced around the tearoom only to realize with a confused start that they were completely alone, and not even Mortigor was in attendance like he usually was. The feeling of foreboding rose sharply within Haru, and much to her frazzled dismay, Galatea seemed to easily discern the cause of her growing anxiety. Against her will, Haru's breathing quickened.

"Your thoughts must be flying through your head a mile a minute right now," the blonde remarked indifferently. "Your heart is starting to race in your chest, and you are feeling more and more lightheaded. It is getting hard to breathe, isn't it?"

Haru stared at Galatea, her eyes widened as she sank back onto the couch in astonished surprise, gasping quietly, her hand coming up to her chest almost as if in vain effort to control the rapid tempo of her frantic heart. Her lips parted slightly as she struggled to take in air; caught by the terrible, _suffocating_, feeling that she was not getting enough oxygen, that she was not breathing quickly enough, _hyperventilating_. What was going on? What was happening to her-

Realization dawned when her eyes fell upon the empty tea cup.

"The tea-!" she slurred hazily. Even her speech was beginning to become impaired by the potent, fast acting drug that had been discreetly blended into the black tea. Her fingers tingled and then numbness quickly set in, swiftly crawling up her extremities until all her limbs felt clumsy and awkward, refusing to listen to her mind's commands, _paralyzed_. Through it all, Galatea watched calmly as the younger woman quickly succumbed to the effects of the powerful drug, her unfeeling eyes locked onto Haru's the entire while.

This was bad, really bad, Haru thought, panicked, as a wave of dizziness hit her hard enough to turn her vision black. Her chest was starting to hurt and she felt as though she was about to have a heart attack. Her alarm skyrocketed to outright distress when she realized she could no longer feel her arms and legs, and her desperate breathing escalated to harsh, quick pants; oh God, was she going to die? Haru's immediate thought after her morbid epiphany was that her husband was definitely going to be quite pissed.

As if reading into the stark apprehension that suddenly took precedence in her eyes, Galatea spoke sedately. "Don't worry, Princess Consort. The drug that you have ingested is not potent enough to kill, merely to incapacitate temporarily." Not even at the height of her jealousy was the Marquise foolish enough to attempt to strike off the object of the Crown Prince's latest obsession; Belphegor would have made her—and everyone around her—pay for her folly tenfold.

"St…stop…Wh…why…" Haru could barely utter the words, and had to concentrate to fight off the increasing nausea as well as the quickly encroaching darkness that ringed her beleaguered vision. The gist of her question was not lost on Galatea, even as the blonde gracefully clapped her hands twice and summoned a pair of burly-looking manservants who had been lying in wait in her suite. The well trained men came to heel obediently at their mistress' command, and with a stately tilt of her head, went over to Haru, easily picking her up like one would a limp ragdoll. She was beyond resisting at that point, though her eyes were filled with trepidation at their intimidating size. Rendered utterly helpless and unable to move, unable to defend herself…Haru was worried, very worried. She knew that she would not remain conscious for long. Hopefully Mortigor-san and Francesca-san, or even Lussuria-san, would sense something amiss and sound the alarm, for she would not be able to help herself this time around, having gotten herself in big trouble again. Once again, the thought that Bel was going to be very angry with her when this was over came to mind.

"I wonder if he trusts you as much as you do him," Galatea mused almost lightly then, her rare violet eyes cruel and remorseless as they rested upon the other female's helpless form.

"And if not, will you be able to forgive him for learning the truth too late?"

* * *

Long hours later, Belphegor had barely arrived at the rendezvous point after the end of a successful mission when one of his men hurried over to pass him his cell phone. The Storm Unit Commander checked the sleek, state-of-the-art contraption swiftly, frowning when he noticed the ridiculous amount of missed calls he had received in the span of his assignment. He started to scowl with irritation when he realized that a majority of the unconnected calls were from his pain in the ass Archduke cousin whereas the rest were from the Varia Castle, the line extension making it rather clear that they were from his wing of the castle—his household, then.

Grumbling under his breath, the Varia assassin decided to deal with Alaisdair first. Experience had taught him that if he ignored his cousin and delayed handling whatever crisis the other male happened to be mired in at that moment, he would most definitely live to regret it in the form of monstrous stacks of vengeful, undying paperwork. The matters and information that Alaisdair handled were usually quite sensitive, so if his cousin was bothered enough to leave that many missed calls on his cell phone, then it would be prudent to check in to see what the hell was going on before he got unexpectedly blindsided by unpleasant surprises.

The blonde placed the phone next to his ear and waited impatiently for Alaisdair to pick up, pacing absently as he listened to the ringing tone only to pause abruptly and stare at his phone in disbelief when his call was cut off. His stupid cousin had just cancelled on him! Growing quickly irritated, Belphegor was about to hit the redial button once more and give his idiot relative a piece of his mind when said idiot relative promptly called him back. The Storm Prince grunted in surprise when he realized that Alaisdair had chosen to initiate a video conference, the reason why he had cancelled the voice call in the first place.

Exasperated, the Crown Prince flipped open his cell to establish the connection, and the first thing he saw was his cousin's equally annoyed features.

"Damn it, Belphegor," Alaisdair bit out the first thing the call came through. "Answer your damn phone sooner next time! I have been calling you all afternoon!"

Bel ignored the older man's complaints and cut in impatiently. "I was busy; what do you want?"

Alaisdair looked momentarily irked. Then, he had to suddenly ask the strangest question. "Where is Haru, Belphegor? Is she with you right now?"

The Storm Unit Commander frowned, instantly suspicious. "No, she's back at the castle, why?"

Alaisdair started to look grim then. "She's not there," he promptly informed her oblivious mate. "Your servants have turned the castle upside down but failed to find her. Mortigor has been trying to reach you for the past few hours as well, and we were hoping that she was with you."

Belphegor stiffened. "Are you trying to tell me that my wife is missing?"

Judging by the blonde's dark tone, this was going to get ugly very fast. Alaisdair nodded curtly.

"The servants have raised the alarm to the Varia Commanders, and they are attempting to track her now, so you should return post haste to receive their updates. And Belphegor, have you done anything to upset your wife recently?"

It didn't take long for the tensed blonde to understand what his cousin was trying to imply. "I don't think I appreciate the nature of your question," Belphegor growled even as he gestured sharply for his men to prepare to move out. Alaisdair merely waited for his question to be answered, and sure enough, his short-tempered relative eventually replied, bristling with affront and restless agitation. "She was content _and_ sated when I left this morning," Belphegor emphasized angrily, simply infuriated that Alaisdair would think otherwise. "And she would never leave me of her own volition."

That was the truth he knew, an absolute fact that he did not even have to think twice about, something that was set in stone; just like how the sun rose in the east and set in the west, his little wife was head over heels in love with him and would never leave him. It was just as simple as that. Alaisdair did not comment on the resolute surety in the younger man's tone, though he was inwardly surprised by how much Belphegor had mellowed out lately. The instinctively wary and distrustful Tsiveone Crown Prince of the past would not have vouched so readily for anyone, but evidently there was something in his chosen bride that made her an exception to the rule. Good for her.

Belphegor huffed with irritation.

"That careless woman has most likely gotten herself lost in the surrounding woods again," he muttered, swiftly brushing aside the strange, downright foreign, feeling of unease that had crept into his psyche at the news of Haru's disappearance. "I have warned her repeatedly not to walk in the woods but it never seems to register to the bit of fluff between her ears." His brow ticked slightly at the reminder of her foolhardy disregard for danger, an apparent sign that he was growing irked just thinking about her blatant lack of common sense—she was definitely going to be in for it when he got hold of her later.

It was a good thing that he had more or less anticipated such a situation when it came to his absentminded and directionally challenged wife, and had already implemented a suitable failsafe in the event of such a troublesome occasion. The blonde fiddled with the keys on his cell, grumbling under his breath the entire while. "Hold on; let me activate the GPS tracker on her. I should be able to pinpoint her location-"

"Are you, by chance, referring to this?" Alaisdair cut in a calm, dry tone then, and Belphegor paused to stare at the screen. He started to scowl when he caught sight of the platinum ring and silver chain that hung off the Archduke's fingers, coincidentally the same piece of jewelry that he had commissioned for his wife to serve as a symbol of their marriage.

Judging by Belphegor's infuriated expression, Alaisdair knew that he was right on the mark then. Trust his cousin to implant a tracker chip within the wedding ring and then have his unsuspecting wife wear it around her neck like one of those GPS collars that one would put on their precious pets. Haru was likely not to be very appreciative if she ever learned of the ring's secondary function, but then again, she would actually have to be found first before she could be told of her husband's exaggerated measures to keep track of her.

"Where did you get that?" Belphegor demanded sharply, his tone terse. Haru adored that particular piece of jewelry the most out of all the priceless others that he had gifted her, and not just purely because of its exquisiteness and uniqueness. Even though it was the only one of its kind in the world, his silly romantic of a wife cherished it all the more because it was a physical representation of their marital union, and as such, it was the only material decoration that she consistently wore on her person ever since he gave it to her. The privately custom designed wedding ring should not be in Alaisdair's possession, and the fact that it was made unsettling disquiet inundate Belphegor once again, this time stronger than before. The gut feeling that had never led him wrong was heavy with foreboding, and in response to that uncomfortable, almost alien, sense of _worry_, the Storm Unit Commander reacted in the only way he knew how. He got mad.

If Alaisdair noticed the way Bel's features were slowly darkening with rising fury, he made no comment on it. Instead, he merely answered his cousin's question. "The ring came to me a few hours ago, via an express courier from an anonymous source. I was trying to figure out if your wife had finally gotten sick of your antics and had decided to run off for good, but not before considerately mailing her wedding ring back to me for safekeeping."

Belphegor did not appreciate his steward's inappropriate attempt at diffusing the tense atmosphere, even though they both knew that there was a semblance of truth in Alaisdair's seemingly ridiculous remark; Haru had gone missing so suddenly and conveniently, and unpleasant as the notion was, it was the Archduke's duty to cover all the likelihoods behind her abrupt disappearance, whether it might be a willing departure or not. However, in hindsight, it was not such a good idea to present the possibility that the Princess Consort might have run out on her husband, especially when said husband happened to be quite affectionately bonded to his wife—no matter how the man in question would have claimed otherwise.

Belphegor's expression turned thunderous.

"Are you fucking hard of hearing? _I already said that she would never leave me of her own volition_," the Storm Flame wielder bit out with lethal quiet, his mood rapidly deteriorating from being merely irritated to downright furious. It hadn't even occurred to the royal Prince for a moment to suspect his little mate; that she might have turned upon him and chosen to betray him of her own accord. He could not doubt her, especially when he could still feel the gentle pressure of her lips from this morning, brushing affectionately against the side of his neck when she was clearly groggy and still half asleep in their bed. She had turned to him instinctively all the same when he was about to leave for work, quietly, unpretentiously murmuring her heartfelt love for him with the words that he was quickly growing accustomed to hearing, nuzzling him briefly even as she told him to be safe. No, she had definitely not behaved like a wife who had been planning to run from her husband, and he _knew_, _he just knew_, that she would never leave his side willingly unless she had been forced to do so.

With that important knowledge settling around his angry, possessive instincts like a secure, protective cloak; Belphegor was left with the wholly unpleasant realization that his sparrow had been abducted. The growing feeling of uneasiness simply fueled the unstable frenzy that brewed under the increasingly icy veneer of the Crown Prince, and it was not difficult for Alaisdair to see that his cousin was churning himself into a fine fury. The older aristocrat did not react to Belphegor's rising anger; he had grown inured to the latter's violent, explosive temper over the years, and thus was able to objectively observe his relative's reaction. The blonde's jaw clenched tightly as he swiftly reached his own conclusions in this situation.

"We have not found any ransom note so far, other than her ring that had been sent here," Alaisdair remarked with utter calm even though his expression was grim, finally accepting that this was most likely a case of kidnapping. The Archduke had hoped that it would not be so; abductions never ended well where the royal family was concerned, as tragic examples of the past had repeatedly proven—and Belphegor knew that very well too. His royal cousin was making no effort to conceal his rising agitation regarding the situation, but he did not panic. No, Belphegor was naturally channeling that uncharacteristic fear and anxiety into something that he could relate best to.

Rage.

There was no doubt in Alaisdair's mind that the assassin Prince would retaliate with uncontrolled fury and ferocious, vindictive aggression at the perpetrators who had orchestrated this unforgiveable crime against him. Those idiots had dared to take his woman from him, and he would make sure that there would not be even pieces left over when he was through with them, and God have mercy on their souls if they were actually stupid enough to harm her.

"No need for ransom notes," Belphegor spoke shortly, harshly. "Money is not the objective."

Alaisdair stared at his relative briefly, wondering if the latter knew more than he was letting on. Then, realization quickly came to the dark-haired aristocrat, swiftly opening his eyes to the obvious clues that he had not noticed initially. There were not many outside the ranks of the high nobility who were aware of his connection to Belphegor, but yet those who had taken Haru had known enough to send her ring to his office—a subtle taunt, no doubt—well aware that Belphegor would have received the message loud and clear. Not to mention, the Varia Castle was practically impregnable when it came to security—it would fall for nothing less than an outright invasion; whoever had managed to spirit Haru away from the heart of Varia had to have had help from the inside.

_Help from the inside…_

The Archduke had a bad feeling about this. With the exception of Belphegor's servants as well as the Varia executives, there was only one other who fit the profile and who had the motive to do away with Haru—

"_Galatea_," Belphegor snarled out the name venomously, having figured out what was going on even before Alaisdair could suspect the worst. The focused animosity in the blonde's voice was unmistakable, and he looked savagely furious, almost fit to be tied. It did not take a genius to figure out that it would not be a good idea for Belphegor to confront the Marquise in this state—especially not if Alaisdair hoped to avoid an international incident with the de Fronsac clan, who happened to have some rather influential members on the EU Council.

It would be hard to explain away murder, after all. Something told the Archduke that today was not going to be a good day.

"Hold on, Belphegor, I'm on my way. I will meet you back at the castle; wait for me to mediate and don't do anything rash-"

The golden-haired Varia cut off the connection before his cousin could finish speaking. His relative gave him too much credit if the man actually believed that he could still sit around and talk things out with Galatea.

That impertinent, overly presumptuous _bitch_ had gone too far this time around. He had attempted to be civil and cordial, but all that had flown out the window now that he was almost certain the noblewoman was the one who had taken Haru. The Marquise de Fronsac was absolutely ruthless in her dealings with her opponents and she also possessed the ability and the resources to back up her vicious schemes. His gentle little wife was no match for Galatea in those aspects, but fortunately enough, he was no pushover himself and now that the other blonde had pushed him too far, all bets were off.

If Haru was hurt—something in his gut froze over and then roiled oddly at the notion, and then full blown anger quickly masked that disconcerting feeling— If Galatea had dared to harm what was his, then he would take that bitch's life as compensation, everything else be damned. The Marquise was obviously tired of living, and Belphegor would be more than happy to relieve her of her fucking right to breathe.

The Storm Unit Commander turned to his men then, the deadly aura gathering rapidly around him downright intimidating and terrifying. Their leader's features were twisted with unspeakable fury, and his soldiers were all inwardly thankful that his rage was not centered on them.

"We are returning to headquarters," the Varia Prince hissed. "Don't get in my way, or I _will_ kill all of you."

* * *

When Haru regained consciousness, it took her awhile to recall everything that had transpired. The pounding headache that plagued her as well as the painful dryness of her mouth and throat had not helped matters at all. She had been drugged by Galatea with some sort of powerful paralytic agent, causing her breathing and heart rate to soar exponentially to downright dangerous levels. Her body had not been able to take the strain and she remembered blacking out mere moments after the Marquise's men had swiftly smuggled her out of the castle.

Forcing her eyes open now took considerable effort, and even though parts of her body and extremities still felt numbed and weak, Haru was relieved to find that the drugs she had been doped with earlier were already beginning to wear off. She was also respiring normally now, her heart no longer beating so hard that it felt as if it was going to jump right out of her chest. That was a relief, and the brunette decided to be thankful that she was still alive. As long as she had breath left in her, she could and would find her way out of this situation.

There was no time to lose herself in fear and despair; panic and terror were not going to help her escape. Haru sat up on shaky limbs and wasted no time combing the room carefully with her eyes, observing her foreign surroundings with an almost desperate attention to detail, hoping to pick up something that might help with her dire circumstances. She was alone in what looked like an expensively furnished bedroom, but the luxurious atmosphere offered her no comfort at all. The nearby windows were closed, the curtains drawn shut, and there were no pictures or photographs that would hint of her current location or aid in her possible escape in any way. She had no idea whatsoever where she was, but could more or less guess that she must no longer be in friendly territory. Left on a strange bed in an unfamiliar room like an abandoned toy doll, Haru was at last forced to admit that she did not recognize anything in her immediate vision, and that awful feeling of helplessness grew.

She should have paid attention to Bel when he warned her about Galatea, but she had never expected that the noblewoman would go to such lengths just to get rid of her. It was too late to think of such things now, and even though Haru did not completely understand the Marquise's motives in abducting her, even though she was legitimately worried about her less than ideal situation, Haru told herself not to get too carried away with such unproductive thoughts.

She was far from hopeless; it was only a matter of time before her husband came for her, after all, and Haru had every confidence that he would, even though she also knew that he would be yelling angrily at her right after he found her. The brunette grimaced inwardly as she thought about having to deal with her angry spouse, but knew that he would have every right to blow up at her in this instance. He had already told her to be careful but she had carelessly disregarded his caution. Haru just knew that she was going to hear about this for months to come.

The quiet creak of the door opening distracted Haru from her thoughts, and alarmed, she quickly let herself fall back onto the bed in a loose sprawl, closing her eyes and feigning unconsciousness. Her heart pounded loudly and the muted sound of shoes against plush carpeting was strangely loud to her hyperaware sense of hearing. Haru was able to discern at least two distinct sets of footsteps. She fought the instinctive urge to stiffen with alarm as they neared her, keeping her body completely limp and doing her best to mimic a state of repose. She concentrated on keeping her breathing even, her features smooth and slack as if genuinely in deep sleep.

Shadows fell across her face, and what little light there was in the room blotted out as whoever was standing over her remained there, unmoving. Nervousness dripped down her spine like cold slivers of ice as a long silence dragged in the air, and she could feel the heavy regard of the unknown person like an ominous presence bearing down on her. An eternity crawled by as Haru waited in dreadful trepidation; never had she felt time pass so agonizingly slowly before.

"This is the commoner who has Astonia's Crown Prince completely enthralled?" The voice that spoke at last sounded like it belonged to a middle aged male, foreign and heavily accented, yet possessing coldly precise diction as well as a hint of unspoken condescension not unlike Galatea's formal, but frigidly cutting manner of speech.

Fabric rustled quietly a foot or so away from Haru as the second unknown person shifted slightly. It was another man, judging by the sound of his voice, but lacking the arrogant, commanding tone of the first speaker. He seemed more subservient, subdued; perhaps a manservant of some sort. "Yes, Your Grace. This is the woman whom Prince Belphegor married recently."

_Your…Grace_? Haru's mind churned feverishly as she quickly worked out the significance of the title. Clearly one of the men was of noble birth, and of a rather high rank at that. Were all aristocrats so sinisterly inclined and cruelly underhanded? And what exactly was Galatea planning, passing her along to an accomplice? What was she trying to accomplish?

As Haru's thoughts raced through her head, there was a considerable pause as the first male coolly deliberated over the second's comment. Once again, Haru could feel the weight of a hard, piercing stare on her person, countless goosebumps rising on her skin as she sensed callous eyes on her body, weighing her worth like one would a slab of meat in a market. The brunette shook inwardly with rising fear and unease, growing scared and intimidated by the presence of the unknown men, her condition made even worse by her currently helpless position. It took everything she had not to open her eyes, to feign complete unawareness even though her instincts were wailing at her to move away, to leave the demeaning sight of these strangers. The calls for self-preservation were strong, but common sense prevailed in the end.

Her abductors had not thought to tie her down with physical bonds, still under the mistaken impression that she was unconscious and fully paralyzed, and it would be in her best interests to let them maintain that line of thinking. She still had a slim chance of escape if she played her cards right, but if they were to realize now that she was lucid and slowly regaining control of her body, then there was no doubt that she would be forcefully restrained, trussed up like a doomed turkey with no further hope of freedom. And so, even if Haru was feeling more and more uncomfortable and growing nervously frightened, she forced herself to remain still and unmoving, silently praying that the men would leave soon.

The first male, the one whom Haru suspected was nobility, spoke again. This time, the contempt in his tone was much more pronounced than before, and he made no effort to conceal his derision and arrogant dismissal. "Clearly, the Tsiveone brat must be blind _and_ stupid, to choose to marry this riffraff when he could have my daughter's hand instead. What are Galatea's plans, bringing this woman here?"

…Daughter! The man who had spoken all this while was Galatea's father! It was almost too much for Haru to process, and the brunette didn't even want to think about the de Fronsac patriarch's sheer nonchalance even when he had full knowledge that she had been brought here against her will, that his daughter had committed the serious crime of kidnapping and abduction. Did all aristocrats believe that they were above the law?!

"Your Grace, the Lady Marquise's standing orders were to hold the Princess Consort here until further notice. No other commands have been issued with regards to the Princess."

So…Galatea…meant her no harm? The noblewoman had only wanted her out of the way? The golden-haired woman had said something about Bel…and a…test, but Haru had not understood what she had meant then, not to mention how the younger woman had been more occupied wheezing for air and hyperventilating to pay close attention to her words. Haru really didn't know what was going on anymore; for now, she should just concentrate all her efforts on escaping this place—

"I see. As usual, my daughter is being too lenient. Keeping this woman here is but a temporary solution, and will not remove the stain of her blighted presence. That boy—the Crown Prince—is ridiculously mesmerized with her right now; the logical thing to do would be to remove her from his indulgent affections."

The nobleman was speaking so quickly that it was almost difficult for Haru to make sense of his words, and the brunette had to struggle to understand what he was actually saying. There was a brief rustle as movements were made above her, and before she could realize what was going on, hard, steely fingers gripped her chin, forcing her mouth open as a bitter liquid was dripped down her throat. Haru was so stunned that she swallowed the mouthful automatically, and it had been all she could do to keep her eyes from bursting open in shock, to still feign unconsciousness. What had she just ingested?

"Y- Your Grace?" the manservant stammered, clearly questioning the swift, unexpected action of his superior, and the man who was Galatea's father wasted no time explaining.

"Do not worry; that was not poison. I have no need to dirty my hands thusly. That was merely a little something to ensure her cooperation later."

Cooperation? Haru thought confusedly, even as the servant echoed her question.

"There is more than one way to ensure this woman's fall from grace," the middle aged man's voice was cold and indifferent. "My future son-in-law is a highly distrustful individual; it will not take much to sway his besotted opinion of his latest plaything." The older man clearly refused to acknowledge Haru as Belphegor's rightful wife. "If he can be led to think that she has betrayed him…"

She was expected to lose Belphegor's favor, that he would drop her like a hot potato and leave an opening for Galatea to exploit. Haru quickly felt an eerie sense of foreboding encroaching upon her even as she tried to figure out the elder de Fronsac's intentions.

"Recruit a few men from the streets as quickly as you can," the same cruel, arrogant voice commanded with little remorse whatsoever. "Keep her identity a secret; only tell them that they will be teaching an upstart whore her place in life. Make sure that she is compromised completely; once her virtue is sullied, she will no longer be accepted to bear the heir of the Tsiveone line. The Prince will be forced to divorce her even in the unlikely event that he forgives her 'adultery.' I want pictures and video footage that will show without a doubt that she is betraying him of her own volition. The powerful relaxant that I have just fed her should serve to negate any resistance on her part."

Haru felt her insides coalesced to ice. The realization that the de Fronsac was ready to go to such extremes to drive her apart from her husband, made pure terror grip her heart. Haru started to fear for her safety.

"_Your Grace_," the servant whispered in a hushed voice, obviously shocked by his master's brutal orders. The old man had just given the instructions to orchestrate the rape of Astonia's Princess Consort. "The Prince will not forgive this transgression easily, if it comes to pass. Are you sure-"

"That's why I told you to use men not in my employ, preferably lowlifes," the aristocrat's indifferent tone was irritated, dismissive. "Their deaths will be a necessary sacrifice to ease the wounded pride of the Tsiveone Prince, unless you'd like to volunteer for the position?"

"N- no," the manservant was quick to deny. "I will see to it that the necessary arrangements will be made, Your Grace."

"Excellent. We will have this unpleasant task done as quickly as possible, and if all goes smoothly, you will be well rewarded for your efforts. Get to it now."

"Yes, Your Grace."

The sound of more movements heralded the departure of the two men, and the receding footsteps as well as the eventual sound of the door opening and then closing again merely confirmed it. Haru's eyes burst open the moment she sensed that she had been left alone once again, and it took everything she had not to give in to the rising nausea bubbling at her throat. The brunette could feel her heart slamming against her ribcage in fear; she was horrified and, at the same time, very scared. She felt so sick and dirty after hearing the plans that had been made for her—the callous, ruthless intentions to brutalize her—that she wanted to vomit. Dread and distress quickly occupied the forefront of her thoughts as she easily imagined what would become of her if the elder de Fronsac's coldhearted plan was seen through, and time was quickly running out.

But still, through the hair-raising anxiety and growing panic, Haru was not ready to give up yet. It started out as a small glimmer of protest at first, but the instinctive urge for self-preservation was strong in her, and it grew quickly to become something a lot more powerful than the icy hold of terror could hope to compete with. Coupled with the degrading manner that she had just been vulgarly judged and crudely spoken of, fury and determination quickly burned inside her like an unquenchable inferno, a fierce, raw need to thwart the vicious, inhuman plans that had been prepared especially to destroy her, and most importantly, her bond to her mate.

Anger felt good, Haru thought furiously, her blood heating up with a powerful mix of exponential agitation and adrenaline, her usually warm, friendly gaze smoldering with wrath and hostility. It succeeded in driving away the gut wrenching feeling of fear that had threatened to overtake her earlier, and forcefully cleared her mind of all of her other concerns, allowing her to carefully plan her next move.

The entire de Fronsac clan would be in for a big surprise if they really thought that she would just roll over and succumb to their malicious, nefarious plans. It was true that Miura Haru was not particularly remarkable in any way, be it in terms of strength, ability, or even wealth and status, but the Princess Consort of Astonia would _not_ fall so easily.

It was very obvious that just waiting for Belphegor to arrive and rescue her was no longer a viable option. She would have to assume the worst in this situation, that her husband just might not be able to reach her in time to defend her from de Fronsac's cruel agenda. But that was alright. Instead of feeling despair and helplessness, firm, gritty resolve gathered in the brunette's heart, centering her agitated emotions and allowing her to regain a semblance of calm.

What she should do next came quite naturally to her right after.

If Bel could not get to her in time, then she would just have to make time for him.

Of course, it was really easier said than done, but as the irrepressible idea took root in her head, Haru started to see untold possibilities everywhere she looked.

Luck would be on her side today, and Haru swore that she would show those de Fronsacs that she would not be so easily bullied.

But first; she needed to find a toilet to regurgitate whatever vile concoction that the Duke had made her swallow.

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Hi guys! I'm back! My sincerest apologies for the absurdly long hiatus; real life has been pretty hectic for the last year or so, and I wasn't able to focus on writing as much as I want to. Recently, I found some much needed spare time to work on the rest of this fic, and on that note, I'm pleased to announce that 'Of Sparrows and Princes' has finally been completed, and I will be constantly updating (either weekly or bimonthly) until all the chapters are eventually up, so please do not worry that it will be abandoned anytime soon.

So…that's all for now.

This chapter's pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, there's nothing that I feel the need to point out. Anyway, I hope all of you enjoyed this instalment, and last but not least, a very grateful thank you to all the readers for the kind patience and support up till now!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	50. Chapter 50

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5871

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 13/01/13

* * *

**Chapter Fifty**

* * *

He was back in the castle in record time, his men scattering swiftly out of the way as he bounded up the steps with cagey, deadly grace. The journey had been a swift one thanks to the expert driving skills of his highly efficient team, but it had still taken far too long for his tastes. He had been like a ticking time bomb on the whole trip back to the headquarters, edgy and steadily working himself into a fine fury, much to the alarm of the soldiers under his command. The entire Storm Unit had heaved a collective sigh of relief when they finally arrived at their destination—none of them wanted to be in the line of fire when their leader was in such a _killing_ mood.

His servants had been waiting nervously for his arrival, from the most senior individuals who had raised him from boyhood to the newest additions who had only began work mere months ago, most sporting varying degrees of tension, and some, even outright fear. Their apprehension was not without reason; they had dared to lose their master's Consort, had carelessly allowed her to be stolen away when they should have been more vigilant of such threats. Because of their blunder, the most important woman in their King's life, the one who would carry his future heirs and legacies—the next generation of royal blood—was now missing and could very well be in mortal peril. Were the old laws of Astonia still in effect, all of them would have been promptly sentenced for high treason and summarily executed without hesitation for their transgression against the Royal family.

As one body, the somber, grimly dismal group of working-class individuals went silently onto their knees the moment their sovereign was within sight, their heads bowed in disgrace, wordlessly pleading for forgiveness in the traditional way of their country, mentally prepared to accept whatever punishment that their master chose to mete out. There was nothing to say, no excuse to make—it was their responsibility and honor to protect the Princess Consort and they had failed, and that was all there was to the matter. They did not hold hopes that the Crown Prince would be lenient; the blonde had a notoriously narrow tolerance for incompetency, and to make matters worse, it was also no secret that he was rather fond of his wife.

The young woman's soothing presence has had an undeniably positive effect on their master—he was calmer, mellower, if that could even be used to describe him, and less inclined to be deliberately sadistic and violent when around her. It would almost appear as if he had been tamed at the hands of his mate, had become docile and more passive than he used to be—was losing his touch—but that was not the case. If anything, even though the frequency of his outbursts and temper tantrums had lessened significantly—he seemed to have developed a strange parody of patience and tolerance—the edge of his fury had simply grown sharper in compensation for his newfound sense of forbearance towards his allies. The vicious intensity of his wrath was more concentrated now that he had a focus in the form of his missing Consort, his propensity for retaliation deadlier than before because there was so much more at stake this time around.

The servants fully expected to bear the unbridled brunt of their employer's anger. Imagine their collective surprise and uneasy disbelief when he ignored them completely, moving past them quickly in swift, purposeful strides, his expression frozen in a rictus of barely restrained fury. It became quickly apparent that the silent snarl of rage on his face had not been meant for them as they had originally assumed; no, at the moment, the servants were so below Belphegor's radar for violence and destruction that they were practically nonexistent.

The Storm Prince was reserving the full force of his vehemence for the true perpetrator of this audacious crime against him, and his butler was quick enough to understand his purpose. Mortigor rose to his feet promptly and silently followed in his master's darkly agitated wake with all due haste—the middle aged man would stoically accept his punishment for his negligence later, but for now, he was still of some use to the Royal family that he had served all his life and he would give his all to be of assistance.

"Your Highness, we shut down all movement into and out of the castle the moment the alarm had been raised. The Marquise de Fronsac is still in our custody and she is in the Library right now, secure and under close guard. She has been awaiting your return, and so far, has refused to yield any information regarding the current whereabouts of Princess Haru. Commander Xanxus has been made aware of the situation but he has stated that the Varia will not be involved in the matter as this is clearly a domestic conflict of the Tsiveone household and has nothing to do with the Vongola Famiglia." Mortigor continued to report the goings on within the castle calmly and staidly, the quiet dignity in his voice simple and unwavering despite his master's murderous mood.

"We also believe that we may have determined how Her Highness was spirited out of the castle. The Persian carpets in the southern wing have been undergoing restoration works by an external source for the past few days and the vehicle transporting the fabrics was the only one that left the property in the narrow timeframe before we realized that the Princess was no longer on the castle grounds."

That quickly caught the Varia executive's attention.

Belphegor paused, his jaw ticking visibly with increasing aggravation. He turned his furious attention to Mortigor for what appeared to be the first time since his return, leveling a hard stare at his butler. "Are you trying to tell me _that woman wrapped my wife in carpets and then had her carried off_?"

The blonde had asked the question in a veritably upset roar. Mortigor bore the Prince's anger stoically, and did not deny the latter's assumption. "We attempted to track down the vehicle by its license number, but found it abandoned just a few miles west of the castle, Your Highness." The middle aged man paused, and then continued with quiet, bone deep shame. "I take full responsibility for failing to prevent the Princess' abduction. This would not have happened if I have been more vigilant."

Belphegor resumed walking down the hallway, his strides long and swift. "Don't talk to me right now," he growled even as he stewed in the latest information that had just been relayed to him. Galatea had some nerve, to treat his wife like that. He also did not miss the significance of the move; to remove Haru in such a manner, like one would a piece of trash, was a grave insult that only served to make him even angrier.

The blonde and his servant reached the guarded entrance of the library quickly enough, but Belphegor came to a stop just short of the doors.

"Prepare the car, Mortigor," the Storm Varia instructed tersely. "And do not allow anyone else to come in after me. Alaisdair will be arriving soon; keep him away until I'm done here."

The orders were downright ominous and did not bode well for the lone occupant within the library, but his butler merely nodded swiftly in acquiescence.

"It will be done immediately, Your Highness."

The loyal servant retreated silently.

The pair of soldiers standing sentry in front of the Library quickly made way for the Storm Unit Commander after a smart salute of acknowledgement. Belphegor pushed the doors open and strode in.

He spotted the sophisticated, svelte figure of his distant cousin immediately. The Marquise was standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows, her back turned to him as she stared at the night scenery outside.

Like everything else Galatea did, she exuded an icy, untouchable aura that not many could pull off. The de Fronsac had always carried herself with the regal bearing befitting the Queen that she had been groomed from birth to become, indisputably a woman of great beauty and refined grace, but stiff and unyielding like most of their kind. Her attention catching, unique amethyst eyes were cold and judgmental, _calculating_, her fair, exquisite features hard and emotionally detached, frozen in a mask of callous disregard for anyone useless to her and her various agendas, jaded and cynical from a lifetime of manipulating the brutally materialistic noble class that was the crème de la crème of high society.

Belphegor had no interest whatsoever in admiring the other blonde's physical perfection. Whether Galatea knew it or not, they were both eerily similar to each other in terms of character, and that was why he would never marry her. Why would he settle for a cold, ruthless, female counterpart of himself when he could have someone better? Clearly, the Marquise was out of her fucking mind if she believed she could force his hand like this.

Belphegor kicked the door shut behind him, ignoring the thunderous slam the heavy wood made against its frame and how the angry sound reverberated loudly across the huge cavernous room that was the castle's library. He folded his arms across his chest and glared icily at the current bane of his existence, fully expecting the woman to face him. He didn't have to wait long.

Galatea turned around slowly at the sound of the Prince's anger, her calm, unruffled expression revealing no indication whatsoever of any unease in this situation. Perhaps she was just too stupid to perceive the danger that she was in at that moment, Belphegor thought furiously, to dare look so fucking composed after what she had done. In a smartly casual dress code and wearing a coolly nonchalant demeanor, the Marquise appeared to be the very picture of elegant serenity, a noblewoman of leisure without a care in the world. Her eyes, however, gleamed cold with vindictive pleasure at the sight of the Tsiveone Crown Prince—the arrogant male had certainly come running to her quickly enough now that she had given him a very good reason to do so.

In no great hurry, the beautiful blonde inclined her head slightly at her fellow aristocrat. "Good evening, Your Highness," she murmured evenly in greeting. "It is a beautiful night, is it not?"

Belphegor was hardly interested in exchanging pleasantries with her. "I have no time for this," he hissed out fiercely. "_Where is my wife?_"

Galatea didn't even blink at the soft, vicious snarl. The golden-haired woman moved sedately towards the side of the library, deliberately ignoring the question that had been posed to her. Belphegor watched her narrowly as she stopped by the antique study table, her hand movements graceful as she reached for the steeping pot of tea placed there. She poured the steaming, fragrant concoction into a pair of fine china teacups that belonged to the tea set before setting the pot back onto its tray in a soundless, practiced gesture.

"Would you like some tea, Your Highness?" she enquired mildly. She casually dropped two cubes of sugar into one of the teacups, and then used the accompanying silver teaspoon to noiselessly stir in the dissolving sugar crystals. Her nonchalant, dismissive actions only served to make the Prince even angrier than he already was. Unfortunately, the Marquise's intention to deliberately rattle the Prince's composure and drive him to a state of worry and fear for his missing mate failed to come to fruition.

Unlike most, Belphegor was not the type to give in to the crippling, useless sensations of panic and anxiety when driven into a corner. With how fond the Tsiveone Royal was of his wife, Galatea had expected that he would be upset over her sudden disappearance. However, no battle plan ever survived contact with the enemy, and instead of getting to manipulate a fretful and distracted husband, she received the full, focused attention of a furious _and_ highly dangerous one instead.

Belphegor moved towards the Marquise in swift strides, his aura forbidding and icy with tightly controlled wrath. He came to a stop right before her, and with a single sweep of his arm, the Varia executive sent the entire tea set smashing onto the ground, much to the Marquise's shock. Galatea flinched inwardly at the loud, violent crash as the priceless porcelain shattered into pieces and hot tea splattered and spilled onto the expensive hand woven carpets.

Amethyst eyes flashed with anger the moment she got over her shock, but Galatea quickly reclaimed her composure. She raised her chin slightly in challenge, staring arrogantly and fearlessly at her blonde counterpart standing a mere foot away from her, boldly ignoring the dark fury that showed on his sharp, angular features with great prominence. Faint stirrings of increasing unease trickled down her spine in the face of the assassin Prince's near palpable rage, but the Marquise still refused to back down.

Galatea folded her arms across her chest, her expression turning quietly mocking. "Is this how you treat the guests under your roof, Your Highness?"

Belphegor curled his upper lip contemptuously at his contemporary. "I will do much worse if you do not tell me what I want to know right now," he growled lowly, coldly, with warning.

For a brief moment, Galatea eyed the other blonde guardedly. At last, she shook her head slightly, a faint sneer crossing her painted lips. "I don't think that you are in any position to make demands, Your Highness," the noblewoman all but purred slyly, her stony violet gaze glittering with spite. "After all, who knows what misfortune might befall the Princess Consort as a result of your unthinking actions."

Galatea would immediately regret her brazen, foolish threat. Belphegor did not even hesitate for a moment, and before the Marquise could prepare herself for what was to come next, the Crown Prince backhanded her with enough force to send her sprawling onto the surface of the table behind. The sharp crack his hand meeting her cheek echoed loudly in the large room and pain exploded across the left side of Galatea's face. It took the stunned noblewoman long seconds to finally comprehend what had happened. _He had hit her_. She, who had never even been punished for anything her entire life, let alone physically assaulted. A sharp, metallic tang filled her mouth, and Galatea realized belatedly that she had bit her lip badly during the impact. A thin trail of blood trickled down her chin. Dazed with shock, the golden-haired female clutched at her reddened, throbbing cheek with her hand, her disbelieving gaze flying towards the vicious, pitiless one of her attacker.

"You hit me," Galatea breathed in an intimidated, almost incredulous tone. The apprehension within her started to increase exponentially, and for the first time in her life, Galatea experienced fear. Belphegor looked down unfeelingly at the Marquise.

"Have you returned to your senses?" he asked harshly, scathingly. "Didn't I tell you the last time I will not play your foolish games? Do you really think that you can manipulate me like those men that pant after you like lapdogs?"

"You will attack a loyal member of your royal court for a lowly commoner?" Galatea hissed then, pushing herself off the table, forcibly ignoring her instincts that were telling her to avoid further incurring the wrath of the Storm Prince before her.

"That 'lowly commoner' is my Princess Consort," Belphegor bit out in a hard tone. "You claim to be loyal, yet you have orchestrated an abduction of a member of my family. Are you sick of living, Galatea? You must think that I have grown soft, that I lost my edge because of my affection towards Haru. Perhaps you even believe that you have a chance with me. You are wrong. _She_ is the sole exception. Harm her, and I will not hesitate to destroy you."

The Marquise stared venomously at Belphegor, made even more agitated by his callous, derisive remarks. "She is that important to you then, Belphegor?" she demanded angrily, dropping his title in the process. "You'd risk incurring the wrath of my entire clan just for her?"

The Varia Commander looked viciously at the other blonde, bringing his face right up to hers. It was all Galatea could do not to shake with fear—the sheer hostility and malevolence in Belphegor's aura was simply overwhelming in its intensity, and in his powerful presence, she could hardly breathe. This was the King of Astonia, in full rage. "_I'd kill for her_," he rasped ruthlessly, proving without a doubt that he meant exactly as he said, not to mention the underlying threat in his promise.

"_Where is she_?"

Pride and fear warred in the French noblewoman's eyes, but at last, obstinate pride won out. How dare he?! Crown Prince or not, no one treated her this way and got away with it! She was a member of the de Fronsac clan, one of the most influential families in the whole of France! She would make sure that he would regret making an enemy out of her, even if she had to use his wife to make him pay for his offences against her!

The beautiful Marquise glared icily at Belphegor, her anger blinding her from the utter danger that she was in at the moment. "I will never tell," she spat out spitefully. "If I have my way, you will never see her again."

Once more, Galatea's prideful reply would prove to be a mistake that she would quickly regret.

The Storm Prince was by no means a patient man, nor was he someone who would allow something like a conscience or even moral obligation to stop him from accomplishing his goals in any way possible. He was a brutally opportunistic opponent and would go out in full force to completely annihilate his adversaries, regardless of their age or gender, and Galatea was about to learn about that vicious part of his character the hard way. Man or woman, young or old, once identified as an enemy, Belphegor showed absolutely no mercy.

And right now, Galatea was definitely an enemy.

Belphegor snarled at the noblewoman, utterly furious. Her threat to remove his wife from him permanently quickly made something within him snap. The last vestiges of his self-control disappeared with the rush of fury that inundated him. The mad frenzy in his blood, already boiling and churning for hours on end without an appropriate outlet, simply made him even more dangerous than he already was, and without warning, Belphegor lashed out. He grabbed her wrist with hard, unyielding fingers and spun her around with a hard jerk. Viciously twisting her arm behind her, he forced her to her knees before him in one smooth, brutally effective maneuver. Galatea struggled fruitlessly and quickly attempted to free herself from the Prince's painful, bruising grip, icy fear coalescing her insides at the deadly calm, dangerous air that surrounded Belphegor, but it was too late. In swift, violent retaliation, with coldblooded intent to subdue and inflict harm, _he broke her forearm_.

The sharp cry of pain that escaped the Marquise quickly turned into hair raising screams of agony as the vicious Storm Varia continued to apply unrelenting pressure on the fractured limb, and beyond the pain that Belphegor was cruelly and mercilessly forcing on her, Galatea could literally feel the bone of her arm giving way to the huge force that her tormentor was putting on it, simply unable to take the stress of such callous treatment.

And through it all, Belphegor watched coldly as he made her suffer for her transgression against him, his expression ruthlessly blank, no hint of amusement or vindictive pleasure to be found on his unusually emotionless features. Through a blinding haze of pain, it quickly began to occur to Galatea that she had made a huge mistake when she had executed this plan to separate the Crown Prince from his Consort. Clearly, the Varia assassin was less than pleased by the situation and unlike the other men she knew, who drew the line at harming a physically defenseless woman, Belphegor was of another breed altogether, and like a true Tsiveone Royal, he had no qualms whatsoever retaliating in kind against any and all who had done him injustice.

Belatedly, Galatea finally realized the ugly truth about the man she had been groomed from birth to marry—that under his refined, sophisticated veneer, hid a mad, ferociously dangerous animal that did not take kindly to any threats towards those that he had claimed as his, and, most especially, the woman whom he had chosen to bind himself to. He would not allow anyone to come between himself and his mate, and now, for daring to attempt just that, Galatea was paying the price for her folly.

It was becoming very apparent now, that when forced to defend his Consort, Belphegor quickly became a merciless force of nature, his already alarming propensity for violence and bloodshed increasing exponentially to maliciously cause massive pain and suffering to those who tried to harm her.

At that moment of realization, _the Marquise started to fear for her life. _

It felt like an eternity to the terrified de Fronsac before the excruciating pressure on her injured arm slowly abated, and by then her face had gone bone white from the pain, her pupils dilated and glazed from a combination of shock and agony. Her composure was completely shattered, and the previously proud, elegant woman shook uncontrollably like a leaf, on her knees before the future King of Astonia, completely humiliated before the cold, unfeeling eyes of the Tsiveone monarch.

For all her empty boasts that she would not be easily intimidated by him, she had still broken easily in the end, her resolve easily ripped to shreds by a mere hint of the sheer cruelty that he was capable of. Belphegor let go of her arm promptly, disgusted by the notion of touching her any more than he needed to.

"Tell me what I want to know, or the next thing I break will be your neck," he told her in a lethally calm, barely audible tone. It was a promise, and he had already demonstrated as much that he would carry it through if she gave him the reason to do so. Against her will, Galatea's breath hitched with alarm, and when she finally refocused her gaze on him, her violet eyes showed genuine fear.

One thing was for certain—the Marquise's opinion of the Crown Prince would be irrevocably changed by the time this evening was through.

With a voice that refused to stop trembling with pain and stress no matter how she willed it, the noblewoman quickly yielded the information Belphegor sought, and once she told him all he needed to know, the Storm Varia turned and strode away from the frightened, quivering mess that was the formerly proud and arrogant Marquise de Fronsac. Before Belphegor exited the library, he left only this parting advice to his lesser contemporary.

"Know your place, Galatea de Fronsac," he spoke coldly.

Galatea could only bow her head in defeat, clutching her broken arm to her body, all the while knowing how lucky she was to still be alive.

"…Y- yes, Your Highness."

* * *

Belphegor walked out of the library and promptly ran into a harried-looking Alaisdair, or at least as harried-looking at the well-kept man allowed himself to appear. The dark-haired aristocrat had barely brushed off an extremely persistent Mortigor just mere minutes ago and had hurried over the very moment he managed to shake the dogged butler. The stoic manservant had done exactly as his master had instructed, heading off the Archduke for as long as he could and keeping him away from the library until the very last minute, much to Alaisdair's displeasure.

The nobleman took one good look at the icy, forbidding features of his silently seething cousin and was downright reluctant to stick his head into the library to survey the ugly mess that the younger man had no doubt left behind in the aftermath of his wrath-induced rampage. Belphegor was seldom angered to the extent of turning _cold_ with rage—he liked to throw tantrums and give in to quick, short, bouts of temper outbursts, yes—but on the rare occasions that he got furious enough for ice to flow through his veins, the results were horrifying to witness. As such, judging by the volatile, hair trigger mood that the Crown Prince was in now, Alaisdair had a sinking feeling that he was going to be up all night running damage control for whatever the blonde had just done.

"Please tell me that the Marquise is still alive in there," Alaisdair asked of his furious cousin by way of greeting. "Or failing that, at least say you have located Haru by now."

Belphegor scowled back at the dark-haired man, the grip of his arctic rage receding slightly. He still had to fight to keep the unstable fury within him from lashing out inappropriately, the simmering anger in him impatiently lying in wait for the smallest reason, the merest excuse, to shatter the dam of his control once again and paint his surroundings red with the blood of his enemies.

"The woman's alive, but only because she's more useful that way for now," Belphegor growled out. "Keep her here until I can get to Haru and verify that she is safe. If I find out that Galatea has lied, then you'd better grab her and run, for I will hunt that faithless bitch down and really kill her this time." The blonde's tone was deadly serious, and Alaisdair eyed his cousin warily. There was no doubt that after this entire fiasco, Belphegor would barely even stand being in the presence of any de Fronsac, let alone desire to be related to them through a marriage of convenience. This latest plan that the House of Nobles had cooked up was clearly a bust as far as Belphegor was concerned.

"Of course, Belphegor," the Archduke agreed to the Prince's demands. "We will hold her until it has been confirmed that Haru is safe and sound." The possession of the Marquise de Fronsac would serve as a secondary protection for Haru, a powerful bartering chip in exchange for her safe return should Galatea's family prove to be deliberately difficult to reason with, not that Belphegor was planning to be speaking much. No, at the moment, he was so fucking agitated that he fully planned to let his blades and Storm Flame do all the talking for him when he arrived at the family villa of the de Fronsac clan.

That entire House was going to learn to regret crossing him, that was for sure.

Alaisdair reached into his coat pocket then and withdrew something from within its confines. He swiftly tossed it at Belphegor, who reflexively snatched the object out of midair, having immediately recognized the subtle glimmer of platinum and diamonds—it was the ring that he had specially commissioned for Haru. The blonde tucked the jewelry away, keeping it safe until he could return it to its rightful mistress later. Without another word, Belphegor sidestepped his cousin and advanced down the hallway in long, rapid strides. The Archduke watched the younger man disappear out of sight and silently wished the latter luck in the successful retrieval of his abducted wife.

Then, Alaisdair mentally prepared himself to deal with the chaos that he would no doubt find in the next room. Steeling himself, the Archduke nodded at the Varia soldiers standing at attention by the entrance of the Library, allowing them to open the doors for him to enter. He walked in and spotted the Marquise almost immediately. The usually proud and coolly composed woman was sitting crumpled on the floor by a shattered tea set, holding her arm protectively to herself and…trembling helplessly.

Whatever Belphegor had done to the French noblewoman had left a lasting impression on her, one that had reduced the regally self-possessed and beautiful female into a weakened and frightened shadow of herself. Not that Belphegor could be blamed, really. The de Fronsac had made the fatal mistake of provoking their Crown Prince by jeopardizing the safety of his favored Princess Consort, and of course the angered blonde would forcefully retaliate in kind.

Alaisdair moved towards the Marquise slowly, showing that he meant no harm to the woman. The golden-haired woman lifted her gaze to him the moment she sensed his movements and watched his approach with wariness in her dark violet eyes. He could see pain and bitter resentment in her unsteady, shamed gaze, and paying attention to the ginger way she was holding her arm as well as her bruised cheek and the drying trickle of blood on her chin, could already more or less guess at the events that had transpired prior to his arrival.

Alaisdair came to a stop before the fallen Marquise, his gaze neutral as he observed her for a brief moment. Then, the handsome, dark-haired male extended his hand towards her.

"Come, Lady Galatea, you require medical assistance." There was no condemnation to be heard in his tone, nor was there any censure to be seen in his eyes, and his calm, impartial treatment was a welcome change from the utter antipathy and contempt that the Prince he served had shown her earlier.

Truthfully, Galatea was still reeling from the realization that she had brought this entire unpleasant situation upon herself—and she knew that it was not over yet. The repercussions of her actions would definitely affect the name of her family as well as the people around her, just like powerful ripples cascading across the still waters of a pond surface, and knowing Prince Belphegor and his merciless penchant for retribution, it was going to be an ugly fallout. But at least she now knew the undisputed truth when it came to the Crown Prince of Astonia, and it was one that she was unlikely to forget for as long as she lived, and would always take care to factor in when dealing with the Tsiveone Royal in the future.

The Marquise now understood just why it was unwise to cross Belphegor, and at the same time, that she had never stood a chance with him even from the very beginning.

Only someone with the willingness and capability to wholly love and accept the Crown Prince for all that he was could hope to calm the unstable, violent wildness within him, made so much more potent and deadly through generations of careful, selective breeding. For all her faults and inadequacies, the Princess Consort was obviously that someone; closely bonded to her husband, patient and genuinely accepting of his deliberately antagonistic temperament and offensive character, so much so that it was startlingly clear that her affections lay solely with him. It was the type of pure devotion and loyalty borne out of a powerful sense of love that Galatea had never experienced for herself before, let alone offer to anyone else. Besides, after this evening, it was just not possible for her to even attempt to emulate the mildest feeling of fondness towards the utterly ruthless, pitiless Prince Belphegor.

Galatea flinched inwardly at the memory. She still had not stopped trembling from the fear that had gripped hold of her entire being earlier, humiliated that she could not seem to recover herself, to easily shrug off that feeling of terror when she had glimpsed the complete apathy on the face of the Astonian royal as he broke her arm and hurt her, that he would not care if she live or died—that he would kill her if she gave him the smallest excuse to do so. She had been judged and weighed before the cold eyes of the future King of Astonia, and evidently, she was found lacking, worth nothing to him at all.

The instinctive rush of anger as well as the raw affront to her wounded pride made something within the beautiful noblewoman stir with agitation, reawakening a familiar thirst for revenge, to make the Prince pay for his dismissal of her, but the Marquise closed her eyes briefly and willed away her agitation. Never let it be said that Galatea de Fronsac could not learn from her mistakes, especially now that she had been taught this invaluable lesson—if she dared try to attract Belphegor's attention once more, she just might not live long enough to see the results of her folly.

Besides, it was rather obvious by now that the Prince must be very much in love with his Consort, to react with such rage and ferocity on her behalf. Galatea really had no business intruding in the first place and had paid for her mistake and arrogance.

The beautiful aristocrat opened her eyes and saw that Archduke Rousseau still had his hand extended towards her, his expression betraying none of his thoughts at finding her, a Marquise, in such a disgraceful position, and merely waited patiently for her to compose herself and accept his aid.

The golden-haired noblewoman squared her shoulders and lifted her chin slightly then, her spine stiffening as she fixed her unbecoming posture in automatic reaction, the dazed vulnerability in her eyes disappearing quickly as she pulled herself together visibly. Completely concealing her thoughts as well as all signs of physical discomfort from her expression, she also forcibly quelled her unease, retaking control of herself and willing her body to stop that disgraceful trembling. Like a favorite piece of jewelry, the Marquise slipped on a regally serene expression once more, and despite the reddened, swelling bruise on her cheek as well as the blood on her mouth and chin, exuded an elegant, tranquil air, as if she had been doing nothing more strenuous than some light reading in the library.

Slowly, Galatea raised her uninjured hand and placed it placidly on the tall, dark-haired male's. Strong fingers enclosed around hers, and his grip was firm and matter-of-fact as he helped her to stand. He let her go when he had ascertained that she was steady on her feet, maintaining a proper distance from his fellow aristocrat.

"Thank you, Archduke Rousseau," the beautiful blonde murmured passively, and Alaisdair merely nodded impartially.

"You are welcome, Lady Galatea. You are to remain on Varia territory for now, but fortunately, there is a medical ward attached to this castle. Follow me; the medical professionals will tend to your injuries."

It was no coincidence that the Archduke was making no mention whatsoever of her less than bright idea of kidnapping the Princess Consort. As official steward and retainer of the Astonian monarchy, not to mention the next legitimate heir in line to the throne after Belphegor, the man was well within his rights to comment on her treacherous behavior, but he did no such thing. Galatea was surprised by his restraint—and grateful for the small reprieve.

The rest of the journey to the ward was made in silence.

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

As promised, here is the next chapter! I hoped you dear readers enjoyed it. Also, thank you all very much for the warm welcome; I'm really very happy to be back!

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Hmm, I'm not sure if any of you would agree with me, but I do believe that Belphegor is the type who would not hesitate to attack his target regardless of gender or age as long as his goals are fulfilled in the end. He is an assassin by trade, after all, and if he can kill people very easily, I doubt it would bother him very much to smack around an arrogant and obnoxious woman who just kidnapped his wife, female or not.

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To answer a question posed by a reviewer, Bel-kun, Haru's weapon box Sun Flame Sparrow hawk, is unfortunately back at the Varia Castle and oblivious to its mistress' kidnapping. This is because the Sparrow hawk, although technically a box weapon, has not returned to its box form since being first released by Haru and is independent of the holding box since it is able to take in physical sustenance from the material world and not just its mistress' Flame. As such, when Haru was taken, Bel-kun was not within her proximity at the time and therefore unable to render its aid.

Hope that explains Bel-kun's absence in this situation!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	51. Chapter 51

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 7647

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 18/01/13

* * *

**Chapter Fifty One**

* * *

Haru stood back and surveyed the results of her handiwork with grim satisfaction.

Even though she was still a bit shaky on her feet, she had done her best to fortify the room, determinedly shoving various pieces of furniture that had not been nailed down to the floor against the door that she had quickly locked and secured from the inside the moment she was physically able to do so. The huge and extremely bulky study desk had been the first, and within the next fifteen minutes, she had proceeded to add onto the collection by piling the bedside tables, the couch, and even the armchairs against the closed door. With the exception of the bed which was too heavy for her to handle, every piece of movable furniture in the room was promptly added to the pileup at the room's entrance, so much so that she could not even see the door anymore, let alone hear any sound coming from the adjacent hallway. It made her feel more secure, and the impromptu workout session also helped to ascertain the degree of paralysis that the drugs force fed to her had taken effect.

Thankfully enough, she had managed to stumble into the adjoining bathroom to force-vomit the bulk of the drugs before they could enter her bloodstream, and other than for some slight numbness and the odd stiffness here and there, she was still mostly mobile and functional, and more than ready to attempt her Great Escape.

Haru had no intention to stay in the room and simply await rescue. It was too conspicuous, she wasn't sure how long her impromptu 'defense' would hold up against the efforts of the enemy, and she had no wish to test it out when she was all alone and vulnerable on the other side.

"So, decoy it is," the brunette whispered decisively to herself, eyeing the furniture-covered door briefly before turning to the windows on the other side of the room. Stepping towards the alternative – albeit entirely unconventional – exit, she unlatched the windows and pushed them open, carefully leaning out to take a look at her surroundings. Haru swallowed hard when she saw that she was at least four stories up – that was a long drop down – but her attention was immediately caught by the protruding veranda on the third floor that was roughly a room's length away. It was already evening and the land was draped in a velvety layer of darkness; it was the perfect cover for her movements, and if she could just make her way to that balcony and slip out through the adjoining room, then her escape would become all the more simpler.

The brunette nervously looked at the narrow ledge on the outer wall of the building and then once more at the ground level of the manor grounds. It really was a long way down if she slipped and fell, and Haru hesitated. Perhaps she should rethink this course of action –

The abrupt rattling of the door knob as well as the harsh sound of voices filtering in from the hallway almost made Haru tip out of the same window in alarmed reflex, and only a frantic grab at the frame prevented her from toppling headfirst out of the building in startled surprise.

"Hey, what is going on?! The door is locked!"

"Is the prisoner awake? Open the door!"

"Get the keys!"

Those men were going to be in for a big surprise if they thought that they could open the door just by unlocking it. Short of a direct explosive charge, there was no way that anyone would be walking through it anytime soon, not with all the furniture piled in front of it, at any rate.

Haru tensed slightly as she continued to listen to all the commotion outside the room. Her hold on the window frame tightened slightly as her earlier uncertain features grew firm with decisiveness. She had made up her mind; there was nowhere else to go but forward now, and taking a deep breath to still her nerves, Haru quickly threw her leg over the windowsill and carefully found purchase on the narrow concrete bracket outside. Stabilizing herself by keeping a death grip on the window ledge, she ducked out of the window and slowly started to stand, shakily testing out her balance. There was a surprisingly strong night breeze outside and Haru's stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch when she chanced a glance downwards once more and saw how far she was from the ground. The brunette quivered inwardly with nervousness but bravely dragged her gaze back up, biting her lip and focusing her entire attention on traversing the short distance to reach the overhead of the veranda on the third floor, but currently seemed so far away. Although she did not have a phobia of heights, she still possessed a healthy sense of fear for it and her current precarious position was all but banging on that very sensitive instinct for self-preservation.

Gulping and forcefully steeling her jittery nerves, she plastered herself flat against the wall of the building and slowly started to crabwalk towards her target, spreading and splaying her arms horizontally for extra balance and steadily inching along. She was really bad at this; her legs felt like they were shaking the entire way and it took great effort not to think about anything but reaching the destination she had set for herself. Throughout the dangerous crossing, Haru's heart was pounding hard in her chest. In addition to the fear of falling, she was also extremely worried that someone would catch on to her escape attempt and come out to stop her. The worst case scenario would be to become stuck on the ledge and faced with the prospect of either being captured once more or falling, and the pale-faced brunette tried really hard not to let her thoughts wander down that path.

"Please don't let anyone find out that I'm outside," Haru prayed under her breath as she continued to shuffle forward. "Oh please let them think that I'm still inside the room. Please don't let me fall here-eek!" The brunette backed up frantically when she wandered too close to the edge and knocked loose crumbling gravel, squeezing her eyes shut as she fought her rising panic and unease. It was at the tip of her tongue to call for her husband to rescue her from this thoroughly unpleasant situation but she was immediately reminded that he was not here at the moment, that she was on her own and would need to depend on her own devices to get out of this mess. Strangely enough, instead of feeling small and more vulnerable than she already was, the thought quickly drew up a mental picture of an extremely pissed off Belphegor and the image was enough to calm her frazzled senses.

Yes, right now her mate should be undoubtedly furious with her as it was; she didn't need to imagine just how bad his temper was going to get if she did something stupidly careless like fall to her death in this place. Buoyed with determination, Haru continued to gingerly cross the ledge as stealthily as she could, slowly but surely making her way to the top of the balcony on the third level. With bated breath, she cautiously approached the other side of the bracket, and after what seemed like an eternity, the end was in sight and within reach. She was just less than a meter away from her target when her leg suddenly decided that it was a good time to cramp up mid shuffle, throwing off her balance completely and forcing her to lurch forward. Haru's eyes grew wide with horror as that feeling of free fall gripped her, and then she was toppling over the edge, her arms flailing as she plunged down—

-only to fall belly first onto the edge of the stone railings of the balcony, with barely enough momentum to tip her headfirst onto the bare floor of the third level instead of straight down to the manor grounds below, where she would have either died or been grievously injured. Haru crash landed awkwardly onto the veranda surface – the abrupt and clumsy drop had knocked the air right out of her lungs with the equivalent force of a powerful straight punch to her stomach, and the pain that exploded as a result was enough make her curl up in a tiny ball of agony, whimpering soundlessly even as she fought to breathe through the pain. Tears of discomfort swam in her eyes as she struggled to regain control of herself, her hand pressed over her stomach as she wheezed horribly and tried to ride out the pain. It was a while before she felt safe enough to attempt to move, and thankfully enough, the racket from her fall had failed to summon anyone to her location. Her stomach ached dully and would no doubt become one big bruise later, but nothing seemed to be broken and she quickly declared herself fit to continue. She had twisted an ankle from the fall, but other than a slight decrease in mobility, the brunette decided that she was still mostly functional.

The room that adjoined the balcony she happened to fall onto appeared to be unlit and unoccupied. A careful test of the doorknob showed that it was unlocked and Haru wasted no time slipping quietly into the room. Silently closing the balcony doors behind her, she was immediately covered in complete darkness. Her apprehension spiked as she blindly fumbled her way around the room, afraid of being found out. She was also unwilling to turn on the lights so as not to alert anyone to her presence, and after several false starts and painful crashing into furniture, she managed to locate the exit. Haru waited by the door and strained hard to listen for any sounds outside, and when it appeared that the coast was clear, the brunette stealthily left the room and hurriedly ran/limped down the hallway as quickly as she could. The manor that she had been brought to was huge, but thankfully it seemed mostly deserted and she managed not to run into anybody as she took turns down the complicated maze of passageways. It wasn't long before she chanced upon what seemed like a discreetly tucked away servants' stairwell, and her eyes lit up with hope.

Haru wasted no time going down the flight of stairs, feeling more and more optimistic about her situation as time passed. Yes; perhaps she might just be able to pull this off, after all! She still found the entire situation quite daunting and worrying, but she could do this – she really could do this! As the Princess Consort hurried down the steps, she thought to herself that she was never going to underestimate her husband's occupation ever again. She really did not know how Bel and the other Varia commanders could sneak around in covert operations all the time like they usually did in enemy territories; it was so nerve-wracking and the brunette was beginning to form a new appreciation for her husband and his work –

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

The voice was cold and heavily accented, and hearing it was like being splashed with a bucket of icy water. She had been discovered! Haru felt her heart sink with trepidation even as her eyes landed on the man who had spoken, and even though she could not tell who he was, the air of menace around him was unmistakable and she tensed, her hand tightening on the railing, a deer-in-headlights expression on her face as she quickly pondered on her chances of escape if she beat a swift retreat right now. The way she was slowly backing up must have telegraphed her intention to the dangerous stranger, for he gave her a truly nasty smile that made chills run down her spine.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you, _Your Highness_," he leered at her in a rather slimy manner that made her feel very dirty. The brunette recoiled inwardly, instinctively aware that she could not get caught by this person no matter what. "If you behave; perhaps I won't be so rough with you-"

Haru did not wait for the disgusting man to finish. Whirling around quickly, she darted back up the winding stairs like an agile antelope, throwing her entire weight forward as she concentrated on running away. Her injured ankle immediately protested against the strain, shooting sharp, throbbing pain up her leg but Haru forced herself to ignore the discomfort. She raced up the steps at a frantic pace and was just about to reach level ground when one of her legs were suddenly pulled out from under her, and abruptly losing balance, she gasped in shock when she quickly toppled forwards, her hands coming up in front of her break the fall. She crashed painfully onto the stairs on her side, and even though she managed to avoid hitting her head, the speed and power of the fall was concentrated on her shoulder as she landed at an awkward angle, and with a sickening pop, the pain came, an extremely sharp, powerful feeling of discomfort that actually succeeded in making her seen nothing but white for a few precious seconds.

The brunette could not prevent the cry of agony from escaping her lips, the hand from her uninjured arm quickly coming up to gingerly cradle her dislocated shoulder, and momentarily dazed from the impact, she could only lie there in shock as the man who had so callously incapacitated her chuckled cruelly and tightened his grip on her ankle.

"Tsk, tsk. Such an ill-mannered, uncouth Princess, running wild like that and taking advantage of your host's hospitality. It seems that you will need to be punished very badly after all."

He started to drag her down the stairs by her hurt ankle, making sure that she acutely experienced every bump and jolt of the move, and Haru whimpered, her face paling as every rough jostle reverberated in extreme agony on her dislocated shoulder, and the back of her head suffered with each painful collision against the edge of the steps. She started to resist weakly, and then as she grew accustomed to the painful experience, her struggles increased, and gritting her teeth against the nauseating discomfort, Haru grabbed wildly at the stairs for a handhold to keep herself from being dragged further, and then she aimed her strongest mule kick right at the face of her assailant.

"Son of a bitch-!"

The man let go of her immediately as his hands went to his injured face. Haru grunted with satisfaction; she was very sure that she had felt something give way when her feet had smashed into his disgusting face, and rolling over, she hissed at the pain and then scrabbled to get back onto her feet, desperate to take advantage of her attacker's momentary distraction to flee for her life. The Princess Consort clawed her way unsteadily back up the steps, and this time around, she made it. Limping forward with frantic urgency, she broke out into a wobbly jog, intent on finding a place to hide before her tormentor came after her once more. She had no doubt that she was going to be in a lot of pain if he caught up with her, and that horrifying thought quickly fueled her determination to escape. She picked up her pace, clenching her jaw against the pain as she blindly ran down the carpeted hallway, her heart pounding madly in her chest as she made abrupt, random turns down the twisted passageways and prayed hard not to be found. The panicked, wounded brunette careened down yet another hallway, panting heavily as she reached for the polished knob of a closed door –

She let out a startled cry when she was abruptly grabbed from behind by her hair; rough fingers digging mercilessly into her bruised scalp and violently flinging her away from the door. Haru hit the wall hard, her forehead bouncing off the vertical surface with a loud crack as stars exploded behind her eyelids, and stunned, before she could drop onto the ground from the impact, she was forcefully flipped around and then slammed backwards against the wall once more, and as she struggled to breathe through the pain, the murderous expression on her assailant's face was terrifying to behold. Haru gagged and choked as he grabbed her by the neck in a harsh stranglehold and pinned her against the wall, her legs dangling helplessly under her as she glared daggers at the man who was hurting her so, not backing down whatsoever. The sight of his profusely bleeding nose, now swollen up and conspicuously crooked, quickly alleviated her feelings of terror and fear. She had extracted her pound of flesh from him for hurting her, and the sight of his grossly injured features made her feel vindictively smug instead.

"_You little whore_," he hissed gutturally even as his hard fingers tightened around her slender neck. "_I'm going enjoy breaking you_."

Her air supply was completely cut off, and her throat hurt so badly that she was certain her larynx was in the process of being crushed. Still, her eyes glowed with boldness and defiance.

"My…husband…_will kill you_," she wheezed out almost inaudibly, but the anger in her intonation was unmistakable.

The furious man sneered, and when she dug her nails into his wrists in an effort to force him to release her, drawing blood in the process, he wasted no time smashing her head against the wall once more, hard enough to stun her momentarily. "He will never find you in time, you little bitch." Holding her upright with only a single hand, he drew closer to her and smiled cruelly. "Meanwhile…you and I are going to be intimately acquainted with each other. You must be very good in bed, to be able to ensnare the Astonian Crown Prince with your wiles. I wonder what your beloved husband will think of you after he has learned that you have sullied yourself and disgraced him?"

Haru's eyes burst open then, and instead of horror, her stormy brown gaze reflected fury and determination. That man had stupidly leaned right over to speak directly into her ear, no doubt intending to terrorize her, but in doing so, he had unknowingly put himself within striking range as well, and that was all the opportunity Haru needed. It took everything she had to move; her face was starting to turn a light tinge of blue from the lack of oxygen and she was beginning to see spots in her vision, but desperation lent her strength and she snapped her head to her side and suddenly lunged, ferociously sinking her teeth into his ear like a rabid dog. She bit down with all the jaw power she could muster, _and her attacker was not expecting that_.

The man roared in pain as he released her immediately, frantic to get away from her, and this time around, Haru showed absolutely no mercy. She had no wish to be anywhere near this slimy lowlife any longer than she needed to and released her bite hold on his bleeding cartilage the moment he let her go. Hacking madly and trying hard to breathe through her badly bruised throat at the same time, the brunette staggered a few steps away from the bellowing man and nearly knocked over a heavy porcelain vase on a nearby end table. Still burning with anger at his earlier words and fueled by panic and desperation, her hands closed around the vase quickly and she took advantage of her attacker's obliviousness towards her intention and crashed it over his head. She threw her entire weight into the action, barely even flinching when her dislocated shoulder screamed in protest at the wild movement. The expensive vase shattered upon impact, and she must have been very exuberant in her eagerness to put out this horrible person, for he dropped like a fly and quickly shut up, leaving the shaky and pale Princess Consort standing alone in the hallway.

The relief that Haru felt was incredible, accompanied closely by shock and the slowly fading embers of anger and fear at the man's earlier evil intention towards her. The adrenaline was also dying down as the various pains of her body refused to be masked any longer, and Haru looked briefly horrified by what she had done. The thought that she might have accidentally murdered someone was almost enough to make her sick with worry, but then she saw the up and down motions of his chest as he breathed, and the sharp fear turned to stark relief once more. Her legs went weak but she did not have the time to indulge in her emotions right now. The notion of escape was still prevalent in her mind, like a fierce recurring mantra, and as her eyes lingered on the still form of her assailant, the thought occurred to her that perhaps he might have something on him that would be useful to her goal of leaving this godforsaken place.

Her hand was shaking so hard that it took effort to regain control of it, and then she was frantically going through pockets. The worry that the man would wake up suddenly and capture her again was overwhelming, but Haru did her best to ignore her irrational fear – he was out cold and there was no way he would regain consciousness so quickly. She hit pay dirt almost immediately in the form of an expensive looking cell phone. It was fully charged and completely functional as well, with a strong signal that meant she now had a means to call for help. Almost dizzy with relief at her stroke of good luck, the dazed woman struggled to get back to her feet and started to limp badly towards the door that she had been reaching for earlier, hugging the precious phone to her chest with her uninjured arm the entire while. There was a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom behind it, with an exact layout like the one she had first found herself in when she awoke in this unfamiliar mansion. She shut and locked the room door behind her and then wobbled into the bathroom, locking that door as well for extra security. In her affected state of mind, it seemed like a good idea to huddle in the bathtub for security, and after she did that, Haru activated the phone with trembling fingers and dialed Bel's number.

It took her three tries to get it right; her vision was getting fuzzy and she kept misdialing, but eventually, the call went through. Haru nearly wept with relief when she heard the beloved voice of her husband on the other end.

"B-Bel-!"

* * *

Maximilien Timothée de Fronsac was a man accustomed to a life of power and prestige. As the 10th Duke of Richelieu, he possessed both status and wealth, the name of his illustrious clan alone commanding respect and attention even from amongst the members of his aristocratic peers. The House of de Fronsac was one of the few noble families left that could boldly lay claim to the fact that their bloodline was still wholly pure, their prestigious blueblood lineage still untainted and undiluted by plebian genes, the latter a most unfortunate affliction that seemed to plague the _noblesse_ to no end nowadays. Like his parents and ancestors before him, he was a product of centuries of careful breeding between various influential members of the noble realm, and from the very moment he was old enough to understand, it was made exceedingly clear to him that he had a duty to the de Fronsac name, to make sure that the ancient and noble house would continue to flourish for years to come.

He had fulfilled his part unerringly when it was his turn to produce a pureblooded heir for the next generation, and just like he had, his daughter was similarly expected to make a similar marital match worthy of their family's high standing reputation. But unfortunately, as galling as it was to admit, aristocracy was a dying race, and with every generation that passed, fewer of them remained true to the ideals of nobility and the purity of blood, succumbing to and mingling with the vast concentration of commoners that seemed to overwhelm the elite group in sheer numbers. Procuring a suitable husband for Galatea had not been easy, especially amongst the ever shrinking pool of pureblooded, likeminded noble families, many of whom were already closely related to the de Fronsac clan.

The Royal House of Tsiveone was one of the few left that was not completely inbred to the de Fronsac family, and to top it off, the Astonian Monarchy also possessed one of purest bloodlines in the aristocratic world due to the strict requirements that the Royal House used to traditionally enforce on every Tsiveone bride who married into the family for past centuries—choosing only highborn princesses and titled noblewomen of renowned beauty and impeccable breeding to become the Queens and Royal Consorts of their Kings and Princes. It was a pity that such a powerful and pedigreed, ancient lineage was now reduced to only a single member, but that only served to emphasize the importance of preserving that rare bloodline, to ensure that it would not die out with the last living Tsiveone descendant, the current Crown Prince of Astonia.

The de Fronsac clan was very willing to help in that endeavor and most importantly, with its long noble ancestry, was actually more than qualified to receive the honor of being closely related to the Royal House. It was all too fortunate that Galatea happened to be within the age group of the Tsiveone Prince, and although his daughter had failed to properly reel in and capture the attention of the young man with her charms ten years ago, Maximilien was determined that they would not fail this time around. The Prince had only been a teen then, a boy who was more interested in fooling around and sowing wild oats, but now that he was older, now that he had indicated he was willing to settle down, the Duke would make sure to show the future King the error of his ways, that he had a duty to his Royal House—one that did not include marriage to insignificant commoners of little distinction and prestige.

Clearly, the Royal Council had allowed His Royal Highness to run wild for far too long, if he truly believed that such a disgraceful match was the best he could do for his highborn family. No doubt his ancestors must be rolling in their graves right now; their descendant had dared to marry a foreign bride with not even a drop of noble blood whatsoever coursing through her veins. Such a situation would never have been allowed to happen if the Royal Family was still very much alive and thriving, but alas, the majority of them were deceased and thus no longer around to put a stop or even object to the outrageous absurdity that the last of their blood was committing to without regard to the countless generations of painstaking selective breeding to finally produce the superiority of his imperial lineage, and it was all about to be carelessly destroyed just because the Prince had allowed himself to be blinded by lust and had somehow been tricked into marriage by an overly opportunistic commoner whore.

The House of Nobles had been outraged by the news of the unsanctioned marriage; the Prince was up to his usual defiant ways again, but this time, he had clearly gone too far. And Maximilien was more than willing to help remove the shameful blot that the frivolous Tsiveone had recklessly allowed into the vaunted pages of his family history, and by force if necessary.

After all, anything short of the pure bloodline of his own family was clearly unworthy of sitting on the throne of the Astonian Monarchy, and his heir had been groomed from the tender age of two to become Queen, a title that no de Fronsac had ever claimed before, as powerful as their clan was. But that would change with Galatea—through his only child, the family status would be carried to new heights, and he had planned this for so long—_decades—_that he would absolutely not allow any upstart commoner trash to ruin his plan now.

Unfortunately for the Duke and his delusional flights of fancy, the Crown Prince had no intention whatsoever of just standing around and allowing such unwarranted attacks on his chosen mate. The loud, extremely powerful explosion that shook the entire villa when the middle-aged aristocrat was in the midst of enjoying a relaxing nightcap in the privacy of his drawing room was the first sign that things were about to go spectacularly wrong.

Then, the bad news just kept coming.

His frazzled servant came bursting into the room in a tizzy, blabbering stupidly about an attack on the villa, as if he had not already discerned that obvious fact for himself. Before he could angrily enquire as to what his bodyguards were doing at a time like this, another of his servants came rushing in, bearing more bad news.

"Your Grace, the Princess Consort of Astonia has barricaded herself in the room and refused to unlock the door! The men are unable get to her!"

"What?!" Maximilien thundered furiously, rising swiftly from his seat. He turned his attention to the second manservant immediately, who was cowering in reaction to the incensed expression on the Duke's normally cold, arrogant face. "How on earth is that possible? She shouldn't even be able to move!"

The servant flinched at his master's show of anger. He remained silent and kept his gaze down on the floor, hoping to avoid the latter's wrath. The Duke of Richelieu had been an extremely handsome man in his youth, blessed with the golden-hair of a fairy tale prince as well as the proud, patrician features that made him very attractive to the members of the opposite sex. The years had been kind to him; his youthful, Adonis-like beauty of the past had simply matured into a stately, elegant grace befitting his station as a wealthy, leisurely nobleman, but unfortunately, his vicious character and nasty temperament ensured that his aristocratic face was hard and cold with arrogance, his thin mouth unsmiling and cruel.

And right now, the Duke was reddening with rage, his expression twisting into a mask of fury as he glared at his useless servant. It was imperative for the commoner's virtue to be thoroughly compromised if his plan was to work. No matter what happened, the woman must be ruined before this night was through!

"Incompetent fool!" Maximilien hissed. "If the chit has locked herself in the room, then get the key to unlock the damned door! Must I do everything myself, you utter waste of air?!"

The servant gulped and quickly nodded, simply thankful that he was not looking at a thrashing from his master. "N- no, Your Grace! I will make sure everything runs smoothly!"

And when the servant took too long, the middle-aged aristocrat sneered contemptuously at the idiot. "What are you still waiting for?! Get to it!"

Without another word, the frightened man quickly ran for the doors, leaving the first servant alone with the angry Duke.

"Your Grace, what are your orders?" the inwardly quailing serving staff asked his employer. He dearly hoped that he would not be the one to bear the brunt of the older man's increasingly bad temper.

In his arrogance, the Duke did not appear very concerned about the attack that had just occurred on his land. He had under his employment the best bodyguards that money could buy, and he did not believe that whoever was foolish enough to attack his property could actually hope to win against the power of his specialized guards. Maximilien waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Have the guards report to me after they deal with the disturbance," he ordered coldly. "And have another snifter of brandy brought up. Make it snappy."

"Yes, Your Grace." The servant was only too glad to leave the immediate vicinity of the Duke, and quickly left. Unfortunately, he didn't manage to make it very far, for mere moments after he had exited the room, the nameless manservant was sent flying back violently through the drawing room doors and accompanying his graceless flight were a couple of what Maximilien recognized as his elite guards. All were knocked unconscious from the impact, and the surprised de Fronsac patriarch stared at his fallen men before turning his attention to the door.

The Crown Prince of Astonia strode in, fully uniformed, his aura dark with barely leashed promise of violence and bloodshed, his box animal hovering on his shoulder in full Flame.

To say that Maximilien was surprised by the Tsiveone's presence would be an understatement. He had expected to have more time before the young man came rushing over to witness his wife's disgrace, but he had severely underestimated the Prince's ability as well as his affection for the woman whom he had married. There was nothing else to do but to stall for time now.

"Your Highness!" The Duke of Richelieu feigned complete surprise as well as outrage even as the assassin Prince moved unerringly towards him. "What is the meaning of this?! There will be consequences _urrkk_-!"

There was a gurgle as Belphegor reached out swiftly and grabbed the de Fronsac by his throat, his grip hard and unyielding as he slowly started to squeeze. Maximilien's eyes bugged out with pain and shock.

By now, looking at the utter coldness and ruthlessness on the Crown Prince's face, it was becoming exceeding clear that he was no longer just merely angry, but that his rage had escalated to something downright _murderous_ instead.

It was difficult to breathe even without the additional pressure of the Prince's fingers around his neck; the killing intent that the Tsiveone Royalty was generating was enough to force Maximilien to break out into a cold sweat as his heart started to gallop in his chest. Good God. Was this the true power of the Tsiveone clan? Such…vicious intensity…!

It was the first time that the Duke of Richelieu was subjected to such a powerful, lethal aura, and the proud, arrogant man was gasping and shuddering from the force of it all.

"Where. Is. My. Wife?"

Belphegor did not roar the question; he didn't even shout. No, the Varia executive had almost whispered his query, but the sheer fury behind his deceptively composed tone hit Maximilien like a wallop to the face. Through it all, the Storm Flame wielder just kept calmly choking his fellow aristocrat. Belphegor's unspoken threat was delivered loud and clear to the de Fronsac patriarch, who had correctly read the furious, aggressive body language of the younger man and had quickly reached the conclusion that the latter _would_ kill him if he even thought to play games with him.

Maximilien was already beginning to see spots in his vision due to the merciless stranglehold that the Crown Prince was effortlessly maintaining on him, and the Duke feared for his life. It was more than enough incentive to convince the de Fronsac patriarch to quickly and promptly answer the question posed to him.

"Fourth…floor… Fifth…room…on right…" It was all he could do to wheeze out the answer, and the very moment he did, the younger blonde dropped him like a piece of trash, leaving the usually dignified man gagging on the floor. It was lucky the blonde was in a hurry to get to his wife, if not the Duke would have been nothing more than a bloody smear on the floor. As quickly as he had entered, Belphegor left the room wordlessly, leaving the older man alone once more, sprawled disgracefully on the ground and burning with humiliation and fear.

Belphegor was trembling finely with barely controlled rage as he moved up the villa to where they had supposedly kept Haru. The blonde was more furious than he had ever recalled being and he was extremely quick to trigger at the moment, his natural propensity for violence even harder to restrain than normal. Worst of all, Belphegor did _not_ feel like even trying to douse the cold fires of his fury. It would not be a good idea to see his wife in the current volatile state that he was in, but the day's events had simply done a number on his already unstable temperament, and the wrathful Prince was inwardly baying for his pound of flesh, for this injustice that those fucking idiots had done to him, _for the sheer amount of emotional distress they had caused him_.

They dared to take his wife from him, did they? He would bloody well make sure that no one would dare try it ever again.

Fortunately for those fools, Haru had not succumbed to their low tactics and had tried to fight back in her own way, somehow even managing to establish a means of communication with him. The tightness in his gut had unclenched slightly at the sound of her voice when he had tersely answered his phone earlier, but something was not quite right. She was reluctant to say much over the phone, but the tremor in her voice spoke volumes, and he instinctively responded to his mate's distress. The fury burning in him was hardly quenched, but somehow she had become the top priority, so much so that even the normally all-consuming urge to satisfy his own bloodlust and rage paled in comparison to her, and after ordering her to stay put, his main goal was to find her first and ensure her safety.

Much to his increasing annoyance and anger, none of the shitheads on the property seemed to have gotten the memo, and the group of men gathered outside the door where his wife was supposedly secured was the first to bear the full brunt of Belphegor's bloodlust.

"What is going on here?" the Prince asked harshly the moment he was within hearing range, even as his sharp, hawk-like eyes swiftly took the situation in. The door was clearly locked from the inside, and it was obvious that the men were trying to enter the room. The small group bore the general appearance of small time thugs and gangsters, hardly the type of guests that the Duke of Richelieu would care to entertain in his home.

"Oi, are you the servant?!" Apparently tired of living, one of the hoodlums demanded roughly of the rigid, very agitated form of the Storm Varia. "Open the damn door quickly; how are we supposed to teach that two-bit whore inside a lesson like this?!"

There was no reaction from Belphegor at first, and then, in the very next second, _the expression on his face went taut with fury_.

The man who spoke did not have a chance to speak further, for within the blink of an eye, there was a blade sunk hilt deep in his throat, and with wide eyes and a sickening death rattle, he dropped like a stone onto the floor and did not move after that. His contemporaries shouted in panic.

"What is going on here?!"

"W- what happened to him? How did that blade get there?!"

"Who killed him?!"

"_Silence_."

The sharp, venomous hiss was enough to break through the men's collective panic, and they all turned to stare at its source. The silver gleam of multiple blades just like the one that had so quickly ended their comrade's life mere moments ago caught their attention immediately. The golden-haired man who wielded the knives with such expert, deadly ease made the hairs at the back of their necks stand straight up on ends with morbid premonition.

They froze like the foolish prey they were.

"That woman inside, whom you planned to _brutalize_," the man snarled out the last word, cold, unforgiving rage percolating his tone. "Is my wife. _Now, die_."

The last was more of a statement of fact than a promise, and before those men could comprehend the sin that they had committed against the Royal House of Tsiveone, Belphegor moved to extract his vengeance. It was all over before it truly even began, and it had been more like a massacre than an execution. Those hapless men didn't even had the time to run—they didn't even had the time to scream—before he cut them down mercilessly, decorating the elegant hallway in an appeasing shade of crimson that agreed most violently with the ferocious, dark, fury roiling inside him.

How dare they. _How dare they?!_

His bloodlust was hardly sated by the quick, savage kills that he had just made, however, and he was tempted to sweep the villa, slaughtering indiscriminately until his wild rage had finally cooled, but his self-control reasserted itself before he could go completely berserk, cold logic pointing out that he could not kill a member of his Court no matter how much he wanted to, even if the bastard in question had as much as given orders for others to assault his defenseless wife.

Just the mere thought of it was enough to send a powerful, renewed surge of rage flowing through his veins, and his jaw ticked furiously in response. Haru had better be perfectly safe and unharmed inside that room, or he would gladly bring this whole bloody villa down on their heads, royal politics be damned. The silent snarl that decorated his face was a fearsome sight to behold, and the servant who had just appeared at the mouth of the doorway clearly agreed, judging by the way the poor man all but blanched when he saw the vicious-looking aristocrat standing so very stilly in the midst of all the unmoving, bloodied bodies strewn around the floor.

The spooked manservant froze in place when the golden-haired man slowly lift his head and lock his veiled gaze on his person, dangerously focused, observing him in the intent manner a hunting lion would look at a defenseless antelope, and he quickly thought that he would surely be killed just like the others around him. Fortunately, his shameful trembling brought the Prince's attention to the quiet clinking of the ring of keys he held tightly in his hand, and Belphegor reined in his killing intent subtly, enough so that the servant could function without being controlled by sheer terror.

The Storm Varia tilted his head slightly towards the locked door.

"Open it." It wasn't a request, and when the wide-eyed servant hesitated for too long, the resulting surge of anger that saturated the air quickly pushed the frightened man into action, sending him tripping over himself as he hurriedly ran for the closed door that housed the abducted Princess Consort, fumbling clumsily over the hundred over keys with nervous, bloodless fingers as he frantically searched for the correct one, all the while perspiring from the sheer pressure that the Astonian Prince was exerting on him from behind.

The servant nearly cried with relief when the twentieth try yielded the correct combination to unlock the door, and the sound of the bolt sliding back into its place was like a sweet hymn of salvation to his ears. Then he tried to open the door and really did sob with despair when it would not budge. This was it; his life was forfeit now—the Prince was going to kill him for his ineptitude—

Belphegor had been swiftly losing his patience as he watched the manservant shove key after key into the keyhole. Through it all, his fingers twitched reflexively, the razor sharp scalpels that seemed to dance at his slightest commands gleaming with increasing edginess, and when the panicking help could not seem to open the door, the blonde growled lowly and stepped forward, shoving the squeaking man out of the way.

"S-sir! There's something blocking the door from opening on the other side!" The servant reported in a rush, and Belphegor paused at that. He recalled a time not long ago when his sparrow had attempted to lock him out of her bedroom by barricading objects against the door. It hadn't worked of course, but the fact that she had tried all the same had quickly earned his attention and acknowledgement in the beginning stages of their unusual courtship. His Princess had been a fighter even then just as she was now, and it was apparent that she had attempted something similar here, and that made him crack a small, grim smile.

Good girl. She had done her best to buy time for him to arrive, and it was obvious that it had worked well enough. She had prevented those men from getting to her and had been smart enough to do the only thing she could in this situation—stay put and wait for him to extract her from this latest mess that she had somehow gotten herself into. It was a testament of her trust and faith in him—she had already done everything she possibly could, her actions indicating clearly to him that his plucky little wife had tried her best to oppose the plans of her abductors in all the ways she knew how. Despite his fierce, dark anger and simmering wrath over the entire fiasco, Belphegor felt inordinately pleased with her actions, and proud as hell.

He really shouldn't keep her waiting any longer; now it was his turn to show her that he hadn't been idly sitting by this whole time either.

* * *

_::owari::_

* * *

**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Hey there, everyone! As promised, here is the fifty-first chapter; I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm very thrilled with all the responses that I have gotten from the wonderful reviewers; you guys cannot imagine how happy it makes me to read your thoughts and comments. By the way, 'Of Sparrows and Princes'' review count has recently passed the eight hundredth mark; thank you, all of you, for making it happen!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Poor Haru took quite a beating in this chapter, but I tried to portray her strength, which is unfortunately not in her physical ability, but in her intelligence, quick thinking and unwavering spirit. She had done everything she could think of to buy time for Belphegor's arrival and to keep herself away from the people trying to harm her, and even though she succeeded in the end, she had also sustained some injuries as a result.

And then, on the other hand, we have Belphegor, who is churning himself into a fine frenzy and mad as a hornet. Well, you will see how that goes, next chapter!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

What else…oh, yes! I'd also like to take this opportunity to shamelessly advertise my other BelHaru fics (or at least alert the unaware to their teeny weeny existence). They are mostly one-shots or short fics that I wrote (and am writing) whenever my muse is in the mood for some BelHaru lovin.' Not all of them are up yet, but I will be getting around to posting the rest soon.

That's all for now, and thanks for reading!

Until next time!

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	52. Chapter 52

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 4892

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/01/13

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Two**

* * *

She was not in that room.

She wasn't even in the adjoining bathroom. He wasted no time destroying the obstructions she had piled up at the door with the assistance of Mink but had been less than pleased to find an empty room and no wife.

The poor servant who had somehow been unfortunate enough to be mixed into this entirely unpleasant affair had been just as shocked to find the room sans its prisoner, and very nearly wet his pants in fear when the very dangerous Royal focused the full force of his displeasure on him.

Shaking in fright at the concentrated killing intent, the terrified man quickly fell onto his knees to beg for mercy. "Your Highness, I speak nothing but the truth! I do not know why the Princess Consort is missing! We left her here but she barricaded herself in a while ago, and none of us were able to get to her!"

Belphegor was no longer listening to the servant's panicked rambling. "Mink," the blonde commanded the Storm Flame box animal currently crouched on his shoulder. "Find Haru."

The white-furred mustelid did not need to be told twice. Leaping off its perch, it wasted no time making a quick circuit around the room, its crimson tail flaring as it tracked its master's mate with its sensitive nose, and it didn't take long for it to find her trail. The box animal leapt out of the open window and Belphegor immediately followed without another word, unceremoniously leaving the manservant still prostrate on the floor behind him. The Storm Prince was just in time to see his companion animal skitter nimbly across a narrow ledge on the side of the building before agilely jumping onto a protruding veranda on the next floor down. The implications of Mink's findings did not sit well Belphegor, and jaw ticking, he trailed closely after it, keeping up with little effort.

Mink exited the bedroom adjoining the balcony that they had landed on and then they rejoined the hallway on the third level, following after Haru's haphazard trail. After taking a couple of turns at various intersections, Mink led him down a servants' stairway before going back up again and then quickly weaving through the passageways once more. It wasn't long before they came upon the unconscious body lying in the middle of the floor surrounded with what looked like the shattered remains of porcelain, and Belphegor's eyes narrowed when he recognized the male as one of the lesser members of the de Fronsac clan. The fact that he was sprawled unconscious in the middle of the hallway with conspicuous signs of a struggle all around him made him a very suspicious figure, but what made the blonde's gaze turn cold with fury were the obvious signs of scratch marks on the former's wrists and forearms, cluing him in to the fact that this person had likely tried to subdue a female with brute force very recently. Abruptly, the strange detour that his wife had made from the second floor back to the third level suddenly made a lot of sense.

Belphegor briefly ignored Mink, who was squeaking softly and in the process of burning its way through a locked door a few meters away. The Storm Prince went up to the insensate de Fronsac, drew back his leg, and delivered a hard, vicious kick to the man's side. The powerful impact sent the man slamming into the side of the wall, and also had the intended effect of rousing him from the blessed state of unconsciousness back to the land of the living. Curling slightly into himself, the man groaned and clutched at his head, apparently still oblivious to the malevolent presence behind him.

"_That Japanese whore_," he hissed maliciously once he had gotten his bearings back. "I'm going to mess her up really good-"

"Mess who up real good?" Came the icy voice behind him. Before he could turn to view the source, hard fingers grabbed him by the hair and pulled him upright. The man's eyes widened with fear when he correctly identified the cold fury on the face of the Crown Prince of Astonia.

"P-Prince Belphegor-" the de Fronsac gasped, but the blonde was in no mood to mess around. He delivered a sharp, swift punch to the lesser aristocrat's throat, making him gag and choke from the agonizing pressure.

Belphegor was _very_ angry.

"You will tell me everything that you have done to my wife in full detail," the Storm Varia rasped to the gasping, petrified man. "And _maybe_ I will consider killing you mercifully."

* * *

Five minutes later, Belphegor was just done taking out the trash by way of express air courier via the nearest available window. The resounding crash had been loud enough to reverberate through the empty hallway, and the annoying de Fronsac whom Belphegor had tossed headfirst out of the third floor had screamed all the way down. Belphegor had not been amused; he wasn't even anywhere near appeased by the act of removing the repulsive noble from his immediate presence, and his unspent anger continued to seethe in him.

Belphegor was very upset. He was extremely furious and was very close to lashing out at the nearest available outlet. Those damn de Fronsac had crossed the line this time. Did they forget just who they were dealing with? Did they think that he had become so weak that he would allow this transgression to pass without retaliation?

He had more or less guessed their intention after the run in with those thugs outside the room Haru had been originally held in. Those bastards; to act against his chosen Consort was tantamount to a declaration of war. Those aristocrats seemed to think that they were exempt from his deadly wrath by way of being members of his royal court, but they had forgotten that even though he could not kill them, he still had his ways of extracting retribution that would make them wish that they were dead instead.

A slight movement at the edge of his peripheral vision distracted him from his murderous thoughts and made him turn his head sharply to see a pale and disheveled Haru standing shakily under the doorframe where Mink's Flame had completely ate through the door earlier to get past. The Storm Flame animal was currently perched on the brunette's shoulder, crooning quietly and licking the cheek of the shaken Princess Consort in encouragement and support. The young woman was clearly wavering between exhaustion and pain, but still she released her death grip on the doorframe and tried to move towards her husband immediately. However, her gait very unsteady and wobbly, and then he was at her side in an instant, looking thunderous as he allowed her to lean on him like a crutch.

Belphegor quickly took in the awkward way she was holding her arm, the dark, ugly bruises around her neck and blossoming on her forehead, as well as the dazed, shocked look on her face. That constant, foreign feeling of unease and strange anxiety that had inundated him ever since she was taken simply grew exponentially at the sight of her sorry, battered appearance. Seeing her injuries up close and personal had not improved his mood at all, though the volatile, hair trigger violence roiling in him did start to calm down slightly now that she was in sight and in close proximity. Then, fury followed swiftly on the heels of his rising agitation—his mate had been hurt and he hadn't been around to prevent it.

Haru didn't care about that, of course. She was just so happy to see her husband, and even through her physical discomfort, her dark brown eyes reflected her overwhelming relief.

"Damn it, woman, what have you done to yourself now?" he bit out harshly with stinging terseness, his anger from earlier slow to subside and quickly getting the better of him. His wife did not seem to register his vicious temper though, unlike the other individuals whom he had met beforehand and had all been smart enough to get the hell out of his way. No, the trembling brunette merely turned trustingly towards her bristling mate without pause, quickly hiding her pale face against the side of his neck, clearly deriving comfort from his presence as well as his familiar scent.

He was here. She was safe now.

Her voice failed her at that moment. She shook like a leaf in his arms, lightheaded with relief, and he felt his neck quickly become damp from a deluge of tears as she started to cry silently against him. She had been terrified by her ordeal and had only allowed herself to show that fright now, after he was here for her and she no longer had to remain strong and clear minded as she guarded herself and waited for him all alone in hostile surroundings. His lips thinned with anger—she should never have been placed in such a situation in the first place, but her display of vulnerability effectively checked his temper. It was not often that she cried, so he knew that she must be emotionally drained to give in to her tears. It bothered him to see her like this, as he was beginning to learn, and that quickly neutralized the rest of his explosive wrath—for now. He would yell at her later; there was little else he could do at the moment but just wait it out and let her cry to her contentment, and somewhat irritably/bewilderedly, Belphegor wondered just when was it that he had started to become so considerate towards the tender feelings of his little wife.

Not to mention, now that she was safely back in his arms once more, that wild, all-consuming sensation of panic and helpless anger that had filled him since the news of her abduction had subsided mostly, enough for the maddening, ever present bloodlust within him to settle down and allow some semblance of calmness to reassert itself within his psyche. The veil of violent red that slowly receded from his gaze allowed him to think more objectively _and_ less destructively, and while his woman was still sniffling quietly against him—it was a testament to his newly found tolerance (only reserved strictly for everything Haru-related) that he pointedly refused to consider the snot that she was leaving on his collar—he reached over to assess the damage she had somehow incurred in his absence. She flinched in pain when he prodded too hard on her right shoulder but did not protest when he shifted her nearer to examine her better. The flow of her tears had slowed by then, but she continued to lean against him, occasionally wincing helplessly as he ran his fingers firmly over the irritated, swollen joint, probing the wound to determine the extent of the damage.

"Partial dislocation," he muttered at last, his own experiences with various types of luxation lending him confidence in swiftly diagnosing her injury. "No fractures. Shall I set it back?"

Dazed from her quick, emotional bout of weeping, Haru could only ponder upon the deceptively thoughtful question for a split second before her husband firmly grabbed hold of her upper right arm hard and twisted it suddenly, abruptly popping the joint completely back into its socket. He had moved swiftly and worked so efficiently that she didn't even have the time to mentally prepare herself, and only a slight, aggravated hiss managed to escape her lips before it was all over. She had jerked reflexively all the same; the agony was intense for a sharp moment before it slowly tapered off, ebbing away until all she felt was a dull, insistent throb. It was a marked improvement from the continuous pain that she had been suffering from due to the dislocation, but Haru was disgruntled to realize that she had started tearing once more, albeit involuntarily this time.

The brunette lifted her head from her husband to give him a bleary glare, her face now no longer pale and bloodless, but slightly reddened and puffy from her emotional exertions. "I didn't say yes," she told him pointedly, finally speaking for the first time, but the full force of her displeasure was muffled by her hoarse, stuffy voice and her current raggedy, thoroughly unintimidating appearance.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but was inwardly pleased to see hints of her usual argumentative self peeking through her current subdued and downtrodden demeanor. Despite the ordeal that she had suffered, she was already starting to recover after a good cry. His little sparrow possessed an extremely resilient and hardy spirit, if nothing else.

"You were about to," he retorted shortly. "I saved you the trouble. You should thank me."

She gave him a weak scowl then, but did not want to expand the energy to argue with him. Haru rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes briefly, one hand clutching tightly onto his jacket even as she melded against his form instinctively, drawing warmth and comfort from his body. She was docile and quietly passive as the blonde probed at the huge purplish splotches around her throat, cursing under his breath as he did so. The ugly bruises stood out in stark relief against her milky skin, and her neck was so slender that it wouldn't have taken much to snap the vertebrae and kill her. He tensed; she could have died long before he even got to her. For obvious reasons, that thought incensed him and he was struck by the powerful urge to maim someone.

His voice was tightly controlled as he snapped out a hard question. "Who did this to you? Was it that shithead who attacked you in the hallway?"

His tone made it very clear that he fully expected to be answered, and Haru opened her eyes slowly to look at him. Once again, her husband appeared furious—he had never been one to deliberately hide his displeasure in the first place and this time was no different. His fierce anger on her behalf made her heart swell with a surge of warmth that quickly chased away her shivers, though her eyes watered pitifully at his display of concern, brusque as it was. Her emotions were certainly all out of whack at the moment, and she wanted nothing more than to hide in the circle of his arms and not think of anything else until she had completely forgotten the terror of today.

Closing her eyes, she nodded wordlessly. Her husband swore viciously, hard anger in every word that he spat out. "I'm going to go down and make that bastard wish that I had killed him just now," he snarled rigidly. The longer Belphegor stared at the bruises on her neck, the more murderous he became. Haru was not particularly in favor of his intention, however.

"No, Bel," she protested feebly. "Can we just…go home?" The light-headed brunette whispered, touching her temple in a ginger manner. Now that he was here, the all-consuming terror and fear from before had taken a backseat, and exhaustion and fatigue had swiftly taken over. She felt so tired that she was all but wilting where she was standing, and the sharp piercing pain reverberating in her head with every beat of her heart was nearly unbearable. "I don't…feel so good," Haru finally admitted weakly.

The pitiful whimper was enough to alert him to the fact that something was not right with her, and when he reached up to see what was wrong, his fingers came away with crimson smears as they brushed against the back of her head. Belphegor stared at his bloodied digits. Her dark brown hair had camouflaged the signs of her injury all too well; if not for the slight matting at the back of her head, he would not have noticed at all. There was only one word he could use to aptly describe his feelings right now.

"_Fuck_."

Haru swayed dizzily beside him. "Okay…now the whole hall is spinning and I feel like I'm gonna be sick… Urrgh, can I rest…just for a while?"

He caught her before her knees buckled and went out on her, quickly scooping her up in his arms and then wasting no time heading for the exit in swift strides. "Don't you _dare_," he hissed sharply into her ear, effortlessly descending the stairs to the ground floor in a smooth gait, and then he hit the ground running. "Unless you have my express permission, you are not allowed to even close your eyes, do you hear me, you troublesome woman?"

She did not reply at first, and so he nudged an answer out of her.

"Nnngh, why are you so mean?" she complained softly, trying her best to hide her face against his shoulder. "I'm tired. I want to sleep."

Another not-so-gentle pinch ensured that she was not allowed to fall into blessed unconsciousness like she so clearly wished. Haru grumbled in protest, and then resigned herself to the inevitable. Turning her head slightly outwards, she was dimly aware of Bel's voice as he ordered his men to quickly prepare to vacate the area, and his strong presence was so very reassuring that Haru could not help but relax; she was safe here, by his side. There was nowhere that felt more like a haven than right here where she was and she was clearly having trouble keeping her eyes open. It was really strange, the groggy brunette thought fuzzily, but from her angle of view the anxiety on her husband's aristocratic face was impossible to miss, and the unspoken ramifications made her feel like the most cherished woman in the world.

Haru wanted badly to tell her worried spouse that she was alright and that she had no intention whatsoever of dying on him anytime soon, but she could not seem to muster the strength to speak, and her eyelids were getting so heavy that it was impossible to keep them open any longer.

As she quietly, drowsily succumbed to the velvety, pitch black oblivion, she resolved to quickly wake up after her short nap to tell him herself.

* * *

When Haru finally came to after taking what had felt like an extremely restful nap, she found herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. She was feeling a lot more alert and responsive compared to her previous sluggish condition, and as such, she panicked briefly when she felt a warm body curled possessively around her. Turning her head slowly to the side, her anxiety quickly turned to relief when she came face to face with the sleeping form of her husband. He was lying beside her, his arms wrapped around her torso to fit her snugly against him, pulling her into him so that her head was tucked comfortably into the crook of his shoulder, and so close that their legs were tangled together. So this was why she had felt so safe and cossetted. His reassuring scent and proximity were extremely comforting to her, and she luxuriated in his wonderful presence, her hands slowly coming up to caress his slumbering features with gentle fingers.

Belatedly, she noticed the catheters attached to her arm, and a brief look beside the bed confirmed that she was hooked up to an IV drip as well as a monitoring device of some sort. That explained the faint beeping sounds that she had heard continuously even before she was fully conscious, and she wondered if they were in a hospital of some sort if there was all this equipment around her. She also felt bandages wrapped around her forehead and torso; her body ached from the unreasonable strain it had been forced into when she had been trapped in the de Fronsac villa, but all was not as awful as she had expected it to be. At least the pain in her head had subsided to a dull, tolerable throb by now, and it was still bearable by her standards. Haru was sure that the maladies that plagued her currently would fade away soon enough; she was healthy as a horse and there was nothing that she could not recover from after a nice uninterrupted rest and some good food.

Most importantly of all, the nightmare that she had been made to go through was finally over.

Still lying docilely in her husband's arms, Haru was idly stroking his burnished golden hair when he finally began to rouse, and when he growled lowly in discontent, she absently turned her face into his neck and nuzzled his throat with quiet affection. He was eventually cognizant enough to recognize that she was awake as well, and the first thing he did was roll her onto her back and pin her under him, his lips drawn in a thin, unsmiling line as he studied her intently for any worsening symptoms of the concussion she had sustained.

Other than looking as if she had just emerged from the losing end of a fight, she appeared alert and responsive enough, her eyes bright even as she stared at him apprehensively.

It wasn't that she was afraid of him, but judging by the way he was starting to frown, Haru just knew that she was going to be in for it very soon. Still, she was hardly threatened by his scowling, intimidating demeanor. The Princess Consort returned her Prince's cantankerous stare with her own sweet, gentle one. She opened her mouth to speak and was immediately shocked when the only thing that came out was a hoarse squawk.

"Your larynx is badly damaged," he told her flatly. "The doctor said that you may not be able to speak well for the next couple of days."

He did not sound happy with the reminder that someone had tried to strangle her in his absence, but she merely shook her head and reached for him instead. The kiss she meekly pressed to side of his mouth conveyed her apology for causing him undue stress and trouble.

_Thank you_, she mouthed silently when she pulled back to look at him once more, _I'm sorry_.

Unfortunately, her apology that was meant to placate him seemed to set him off instead.

"Don't just say sorry!" he snapped. Now that the danger was over, his temper was quickly beginning to get the better of him. The past few hours had been wholly unpleasant for him and if possible he never wanted to relive them ever again. Now, all that was left was to impress upon her the seriousness of the situation so that she would never give him a scare like this again. "I told you to watch out for Galatea, didn't I, you foolish woman?"

That marked the beginning of his long spiel, and Haru easily recognized it as such. But he had every right to yell at her, something which he promptly did now that he had ascertained for himself that she was no longer in any mortal danger. He quickly graduated to acerbically ranting at her, and mild concussion or not, her pride was taking a fierce blistering from his sharp censure. However, he was uncharacteristically careful with her, and she knew intrinsically that his bark was worse than his bite—for her, that was. Resigned to her fate, the brunette just buried her face against her husband's shoulder, listening halfheartedly as he continued to reprimand her harshly for her folly. He was not cutting her any slack whatsoever, and even if she did deserve it, Haru found that she was hardly in any condition to concentrate on his cutting remarks. After this harrowing adventure that she had unwittingly embarked on, she quickly found that she needed her husband's attentions, and not exactly in this mortifying way. Haru patiently endured as much of Belphegor's growling as she could before she completely gave up on the overly hopeful notion that he was going to stop anytime soon, and after stomaching a great deal of his insensitive remarks (most of which she dutifully took with a large pinch of salt), she simply took matters into her own hands.

The commoner Princess reached up to her husband to brush her lips softly against his chiseled chin, and then closed her eyes and quietly nuzzled his jaw. The unspoken love and gratitude behind her subtle actions were simply undeniable, and still she continued to kiss him, chaste, gentle gestures of affection that lingered from his cheek to the side of his scowling mouth, hoping to soothe his temper as well as comfort herself with his presence. It was enough to prompt him to pause in his tirade to observe what she was up to from the corner of his eyes, though he continued to glower at her.

Even though she was still alarmingly pale and not exactly looking her best, her face showed calm contentment and pure trust as she remained nestled willingly in his arms. Her guileless, innate response to him made a disconcertingly powerful, yet vulnerable, feeling rise within him, something that was completely foreign and would have been almost frightening in its intensity if not for the immediate, instinctive urge to possessively guard this special emotion that only his mate could arouse from him. She was such a defenseless creature at times; hardly equipped for combat, let alone to properly defend herself, and he did not fail to notice that she could have been lost to him today, and he would not have been able to do a thing to prevent it until it was too late. That was obviously unacceptable, and his fury renewed itself. He was quickly growing more and more protective of his Princess, revealing his reliance on her for his own emotional needs, and for the life of him, he could hardly care less what his countrymen thought of his bond with her, how weak that made him appear to them.

His hold on her tightened; had they succeeded in taking what's precious away from him, he would have dragged each and every one of them down to hell with him—that was simply not a matter for negotiation. The de Fronsac family had no idea whatsoever of the close shave they had just had. The Crown Prince of Astonia would have brutally wiped their entire clan from the face of this world.

Haru opened her eyes and saw the way Belphegor looked at that moment—his stance stiff, jaw clenched, upper lip curled slightly, teeth bared. He had stopped moving by now, his rage palpable, and it distressed her to see him like this. She lifted her hand and pressed her fingers lightly against his cheek, hoping to distract him from his murderous thoughts. It worked all too well, and he promptly transferred the full force of his volatile emotions on her.

"You could have died," he told her harshly, almost as if he had just realized the truth himself. Haru stared at that stark expression on his face, stunned by his reaction. But he was not done yet.

"_I could have lost you_."

There and then, Haru quickly had an epiphany of her own, a grand revelation that threatened to bring tears to her eyes.

_He loved her._

It was the only explanation that made sense, and combined with that bared, vulnerably exposed look on his face right now—Haru didn't think that she would ever forget it for as long as she lived. With some difficulty, she forced the swell of her feelings swiftly back down—she had a highly agitated husband to reassure right now and weeping suddenly was not likely to help in that endeavor.

"N-no, y-you did not lose me. I'm still here, alive and kicking," Haru forced out a hoarse response from her protesting vocal chords, her words almost tripping against each other with the answering intensity of her own emotions. She looked up at him with shining eyes that clearly conveyed the overwhelming love for him she refused to hide. "Bel, I- I'd never leave you if I can help it, this I swear on my life. I knew that you'd come for me, so I simply waited for you." He said nothing, only continued to look at her intently, and she gave him a small, tender smile. "Of course, please don't take your own sweet time to reach me next time."

That prompted a quick reaction from him.

"There isn't going to be a next time," he snapped tightly, completely rattled, and it wasn't hard to see that he was still feeling rather worked up. "And don't think that you can distract me like that," he continued angrily. "I'm not going to forget about this incident anytime soon."

Haru was hardly intimidated by his fearsome bluster. She merely pressed herself even closer against her husband, if that was possible. Despite her sorry appearance, she radiated a quiet happiness that made her look so very attractive that Belphegor was downright reluctant to take his eyes off her. This woman was definitely going to be the death of him.

Haru reached up to brush her lips lightly against his scowling ones before settling back down in his arms and leaning her head against his chest. She sighed softly, feeling utterly safe and loved.

"I love you too, Bel."

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And that wraps up Chapter 52! I can hardly believe that we have already crossed the 50-chapter mark for this fic; this is definitely my lengthiest work to date. Ahaha, I feel a bit sorry for you readers out there who had to put up with my frivolous and erratic updates for the past years or so. Please accept my sincerest apologies!

Don't worry, we are almost done there! Two more chapters to go!

As always, you guys are really awesome in your support, even for a little known crack pairing like BelHaru. Keep it up! I always enjoy reading all your feedback; they make my day!

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This is a personal opinion of mine, but I don't think that Belphegor would be the type to go about declaring his love (even to the love of his life), but I suppose in this instance, actions speaks louder than words, yes? It's a good thing that Haru can be a rather discerning sort when she wants to be.

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Well, that's all for now. Until next time!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	53. Chapter 53

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (InComplete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5184

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 03/02/13

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**Chapter Fifty Three**

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The next day, Alaisdair scrutinized the Marquise de Fronsac as the two aristocrats lunched together in the deserted dining room. Galatea had initially declined to leave her well-guarded suite until the Archduke appeared on her doorstep and made it bluntly clear that it was not a request. The Frenchwoman had no choice but to gracefully concede to the thinly veiled directive of the higher ranked noble, which promptly led to the situation of two near strangers sharing a completely silent meal in a distinctly disconnected atmosphere.

Unfortunately for the beautiful blonde, Alaisdair was hardly intimidated by her icy demeanor and had calmly and unhurriedly eaten his lunch in her detachedly reserved presence. It became apparent to the dark-haired man that she had recovered from the traumatic experience of having to deal with an enraged and murderous Belphegor last night, or at least, she was showing remarkable expertise at concealing her apprehension and fear behind those implacably collected features of hers. Amazingly enough, the woman remained poised and graceful even with a broken arm set in a heavy cast as well as a visibly bruised face, but after having witnessed the way she had effortlessly slipped on that same cool composure last night, Alaisdair now easily recognized that deceptively imperturbable facade for what it really was. A mask; one that was so impressively well-made and impenetrable that he wouldn't have guessed that the notoriously frigid and unflappable Galatea de Fronsac was capable of harboring vulnerabilities and helplessness behind that stiff, ironclad composure.

Interesting.

The Archduke absently wondered just what sort of past experiences the Marquise had lived through to develop such a formidable mental defense, but he let the curious thought go just as quickly—he knew better than most that they all had skeletons buried in their closets, especially those of the noble line. Illustrious and aristocratic family histories did not survive centuries and generations of power mongering and bloodline manipulation without being irrevocably soiled in return, and therein laid all the skeletons and dirty secrets. The Rousseau and especially the Tsiveone lines were similarly tainted, but wealth and power had an amazing ability of stilling wagging tongues even when the members of said families knew better, and apparently, it was the same for the de Fronsac clan as well.

They all lived different variations of the same story, and each found different ways to combat their inner demons, so out of respect for that, Alaisdair would pretend that he had not seen her at her weakest moment, where her mask of self-control had faltered and inadvertently revealed the vulnerability that she had tried so hard to hide.

Alaisdair nodded his thanks to the maid who had efficiently refilled his coffee and lifted the cup to his lips. He took a long, careful sip of the hot, bitter brew and surveyed the blank, deliberately smoothed over features of the beautiful woman who sat across from him. She had barely touched her food and after a while, he gestured to her mostly full plate with his cup.

"Not hungry?" he asked idly at last, speaking for the first time since they both sat down for the meal.

Cool violet eyes just stared back at him steadily, and Alaisdair quickly got the hint that she was not interested in exchanging small talk. Unperturbed by her silence, the Archduke continued evenly, meeting her frosty gaze with his own steady, glacier blue ones. "You look admittedly better today, Lady Galatea, but as acting host for the Tsiveone Royal House, I strongly insist that you make full use of our hospitality and eat something."

Calm as you please, Alaisdair proceeded to flag down a servant to relay his orders. "Kindly get Lady Galatea a bowl of warm soup and some freshly tossed salad." Much to the blonde's surprise, he had indeed noticed that she was encountering some difficulties handling the assortment of tableware with a disabled arm, though she had been too proud to bring any attention to her predicament.

Galatea stiffened slightly. "That is not necessary-"

"Go." Alaisdair waved along the servant casually, ignoring the Marquise's sharp protest. Something resembling irritation stirred in the Frenchwoman's previously blank violet eyes then, and the dark-haired Archduke watched with idle interest as the woman briefly struggled to control her rising temper at being dismissed so nonchalantly. Her noble upbringing won out in the end and she subsided silently, her gaze icing over once more. Besides, they both knew that she was more of a hostage than a guest right now, and the fatal consequences of failing to submit to the superiority and power of the Tsiveone Royal House were still fresh on her mind from the evening before.

The dark-haired male briefly observed his companion's increasingly reticent demeanor as he took another sip of coffee before setting his cup back down upon the table.

"You may be interested to know that Belphegor successfully located and retrieved Haru last night. They are on their way back even as I speak. Unfortunately, your father, the Duke of Richelieu, has indicated hostile intent towards our Princess Consort-"

"What did he do?" the blonde asked calmly then.

Alaisdair studied her neutral expression briefly before he replied her.

"He ordered an assault on the Princess, with full intention to destroy her virtue and break her, both emotionally and physically."

Despite Alaisdair's diplomatic explanation, Galatea knew perfectly well what he was talking about. Her father was a man accustomed to getting his way, and the Princess Consort had been an obstacle that he was all too willing to ruthlessly destroy. It was unfortunate for his merciless ambition that the woman whom he planned to have brutalized was under the protection of one of the more powerful beings in the world, and Galatea could guess that the Crown Prince of Astonia had not been appreciative of the attack against his wife.

Violet eyes were shuttered and emotionless as Galatea looked at Alaisdair.

"Is my Father still alive?" The question was asked in a tone of utter calm.

Alaisdair was not nearly cruel enough to deliberately stall his answer. "Fortunately for His Grace's physical wellbeing, his plan failed to succeed. The Duke of Richelieu is alive and unharmed, but rather shaken by the Crown Prince's unexpected...displeasure."

That was an understatement, the dark-haired male thought wryly as he recalled the multiple hysterical phone calls that the Duke had frantically made to him from the safety of his panic room in Lombardy last night, his blustering fury a terrible cover for the distinct fear in his shaking voice as the Frenchman hoarsely tried to order the Archduke to 'control his crazy, rabid cousin.' Alaisdair had been diplomatically noncommittal in the face of the barrage of insults that the older nobleman had hurled at Belphegor and Haru, much to the Duke's outrage, though when the younger man had finally managed to establish contact with said crazy, rabid cousin, the first thing he did was to congratulate the blonde on the successful rescue of the latter's wife—and miraculously so, all without murdering a certain foolhardy, bigoted de Fronsac patriarch.

Of course, even though Belphegor had been less erratically filled with rage and anger once he had been reunited with his Princess, it had still taken quite a bit of fast talking on Alaisdair's side to prevent his disgruntled relative from returning to the de Fronsac mansion to properly finish the job of personally throttling the idiot Richelieu aristocrat who had dared to threaten the safety of his mate. He had eventually managed to convince the Storm Varia that the de Fronsac would be more useful to them alive than dead, and that was especially so after he reminded Belphegor that they did possess the appropriate means and information to ensure the Duke's compliance, reluctantly or otherwise. It was not a very well-known fact, but one of Alaisdair's secondary duties as Belphegor's retainer did involve acute information gathering as well as keeping a close ear to the ground when it came to various figures of relevance to the Tsiveone Monarchy, and it was only all too convenient that his occupation as the owner of various high end casinos and exclusive gentlemen establishments made it extremely easy for him to form intricate information networks that allowed him access to the most interesting tidbits of news and information over the years.

For example, it was well known amongst the aristocratic circles that the de Fronsac clan had gained their impressive wealth from a variety of businesses and trading, but what was less known was that a portion of that enormous fortune was derived from suspiciously shady transactions, a fact that would definitely deal a significant blow to the pristine name of the French noble family should such information as well as the various bits of supporting evidence ever come to light before the discerning public. This was extremely crucial since various members of the de Fronsac family were heavily involved in the French political scene, and as much as the French do love their scandals, not many would tolerate a dirty politician.

Alaisdair had unearthed the intricate details of the de Fronsacs' illegal dealings years ago, along with an assortment of various misdeeds and embarrassing secrets of certain members within the House of Nobles, but had chosen to keep his cards close to his chest at Belphegor's behest. The adage 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' must have been coined by a Tsiveone generations ago, for although the current Crown Prince of Astonia liked to let his royal court think that he was letting them get away with more disrespect and brazenness than he really should, most of them were in actuality being kept on a short, _invisible_ leash, one that they were not aware of and that he could suddenly jerk on to bring them sharply to heel anytime there was a need to do so. Whereas the Astonian monarchs of the past preferred to quell the restlessness of their power hungry subjects with outright intimidation and dangerous political intrigues, the last living Tsiveone was clearly not interested in spending that much time with his fellow aristocrats if he could help it, not to mention that frequently crossing swords with those wily old goats constantly trying to make his life difficult was most definitely not amongst his list of favorite things to do.

No, it was much easier to let them believe that they had gained the upper hand while he was off amusing himself with the war games of the Vongola Famiglia, that they had everything under their control when he wasn't looking—or so they thought. Alaisdair was probably the only person in the world who knew just how closely his cousin paid attention to the various affairs of their country, and that was one of the main reasons why he would only acknowledge the blonde as his King. No matter how much Belphegor liked to complain about his duties, he was still indisputably the best person for the job, strange, violent quirks and all.

And besides, it was always entertaining as hell to witness the utterly disbelieving, gob-smacked look on the faces of those opposing the slyly devious Crown Prince when he finally deigned to reveal that he had been playing them the whole while. That particular expression would be most vindictively appropriate on the arrogantly bigoted face of the de Fronsac patriarch when he finally realized the stark truth of the entire situation as well as his less than ideal position in scheme of things, but it would be too late for the Frenchman to do anything about it.

In the interest of making full use of what he had to the greatest effect, it was not often that Belphegor would choose to disclose that he knew more than he let on, preferring to bide his time and make use of the information he had only when it would yield the greatest advantage, and this time around, the de Fronsac patriarch was going to learn how unwise a move it had been to cross the Tsiveone Royal. Whether the Duke of Richelieu liked it or not, his opinion and stance in the House of Nobles were definitely going to undergo a drastic change in support of the Crown Prince and his Princess Consort—that was, if he did not wish for his proud, highborn family name to suffer in disgrace as well as be subsequently removed from the Royal Council after what would most definitely be an ugly and harsh fall from grace.

Unfortunately for the de Fronsac clan, they would unwittingly serve as the message that Belphegor fully intended to send loud and clear to all who had the intention to oppose to his marriage to his commoner wife; the Crown Prince of Astonia was ready and more than willing to leap to his wife's defense in any way possible, and he would be aggressively merciless in his retaliation.

Alaisdair continued to speak after briefly giving the Marquise time to digest the veiled significance of his words.

"There will be serious repercussions for this act of violence and treachery against the Tsiveone Monarchy, and you will find that some of those are already in effect. The House of Nobles has been made aware of this incident as well and I have no doubt that they will be expressing their disapproval towards the disappointing conduct of your clan. Additionally, in light of your family's deliberate endangerment of our Princess Consort, His Royal Highness has made it emphatically clear to the Council that he will no longer tolerate any more 'prospective brides' near his household, and that any family who disregards his warning may do so at their own peril."

It was obvious to Galatea that the golden-haired Tsiveone fully intended to milk this incident for everything that it was worth. The de Fronsac clan would bear the full brunt of the Royal Council's displeasure for angering their Prince and ruining their plan, and Belphegor now had a legitimate and powerful reason to keep away from the various socialites whom the elder nobles had hoped he would marry.

That was not all.

"Additionally, His Royal Highness has made the executive decision this morning as the Chairman of the Astonian Investment Group to pull out of all de Fronsac headed ventures, a mandate that will begin to take effect within the next seventy-two hours. We will not be held liable for breaking the original contract on grounds of your Chairman's aggressive actions towards the Astonian Monarchy, and our corporate lawyers will be approaching yours very shortly to negotiate the penalty for your breach of trust."

Alaisdair's expression was neutral as he calmly outlined the actions that would be taken against Galatea and her family. His sharp, piercing blue eyes studied the golden-haired woman intently and did not fail to notice the way she stiffened as she quickly comprehended the sheer severity of the repercussions that came with trying to harm the beloved wife of the Astonian Crown Prince.

As the head of his royal family as well as the future King of his country, the last Tsiveone had naturally inherited the impressive wealth of his family when he came of age, and the Prince had promptly set up a sovereign wealth fund to invest in various financial assets on a global scale. Not unexpectedly, with the young, prodigiously genius Crown Prince as well as his extremely shrewd and astute Archduke cousin/retainer at the helm of the investment group, it only took a short decade before the wide range of carefully handpicked international investments yielded enormous economic returns as well as significant gains to place the Astonian sovereign wealth fund as one of the largest in Europe.

As such, when an investor as well-known as the Astonian Investment Group decides to inexplicably withdraw completely and utterly from all ventures of a certain corporation, the unspoken implications of such a sudden move would be downright alarming to the other shareholders. In addition to the abrupt loss of a powerful financial backer, the resulting pandemonium and flying rumors of bankruptcy and other problems would most definitely bring the de Fronsac stocks plunging horrendously low as a result of a frantic scramble to sell the company's shares—a thoroughly unpleasant outcome that would cause significant financial loss to the wealth of the de Fronsac Family and would take the de Fronsac run corporations a long time to salvage the situation and restore their status.

The message behind this deliberate attempt at boycott was loud and clear for the benefit of the other aristocrats; anyone who tried to mess with the Prince's family had better be prepared to get their fingers burned—or worse.

Surprisingly enough, Galatea did not react to the unpleasant news with bursts of fury and angry protests. The blonde appeared strangely composed as she met Alaisdair's impartial gaze; a stillness not unlike the calm before a storm, and her violet eyes were blank but hard.

"You are crucifying my family as an example to deter the others." Her voice was flat and matter-of-fact, and although Alaisdair did not confirm her remark, he did not deny it all the same. Another thought swiftly occurred to the Marquise then, that the span of less than one day was just too short for both the Crown Prince and his steward to plan _and_ execute the series of hard hitting retaliatory actions at the same time. Her features grew even colder, if possible. "You have been planning this from the very beginning."

The Archduke did not lie. "Belphegor and I have recognized and acknowledged the possibility of such incidents occurring," he admitted placidly, tactful as always. He did not have to allude to the fact that, of course, they had promptly devised the various counters that would effectively intimidate and viciously cripple the aristocrats moving against them—both socially and financially, the two most important factors in the lives of the well-heeled nobility.

Galatea closed her eyes briefly as she silently admitted to herself that it was arrogance and the careless lack of foresight that that had allowed herself and her family to so easily fall prey to the schemes of the Tsiveone Royalty. And now, there was nothing else to say or do but to pay the high price for their folly.

The Frenchwoman fully expected to bear the brunt of Belphegor's vengeful retaliation—and she would not be wrong to assume thusly. After all, the most effective method to dissuade the other bridal prospects would be to make an example out of her, in a manner as cruel and as humiliating as possible, and after her life threatening encounter with the Tsiveone Prince, Galatea now realized that there was nothing he would not do for his Consort.

There would be no help coming from her father; judging by the quietly confident manner in which the Archduke of Rousseau had just laid out the various consequences for the actions of her family, it was most probable that they had already found a way to ensure his compliance. The blonde inwardly steeled herself for what would come next, and her classically beautiful features were blank with finality and acceptance when she looked at Alaisdair once more.

"I acknowledge that it is my mistake to be involved in circumstances that had inadvertently caused harm to Princess Haru," the Marquise spoke with blunt, unprejudiced honesty. The woman clearly did not enjoy admitting her fault, but had more pride in her than to simply shirk her responsibilities and feign ignorance. "I accept the consequences of my actions and, on the honor of the de Fronsac Family, will concede to all demands of compensation from His Royal Highness as well as his Princess Consort."

Alaisdair stared sharply at the other aristocrat, wordlessly accessing the sincerity of her offer. He had not expected that she would be so accommodating and cooperative, and was naturally wary of her possible motives.

"You are aware that your agreement to submit to the Tsiveone Royal Family will put you and your clan directly under the mercy of Belphegor," the dark-haired man prompted carefully. He did not need to point out that Belphegor was unlikely to be merciful in this instance.

The Frenchwoman stiffened imperceptibly at the less than subtle reminder of the Astonian Prince's capacity for retaliation and vengeance, no doubt the hard learned, terrifying, lessons from last night still playing in her mind, but still she visibly steeled herself and nodded simply.

"I took a gamble, and I lost," she spoke coolly. "It is only honorable that I pay my dues."

It was unfortunate that her wager with the Royal Consort had come with such a steep price, but there was no other way for Galatea. It turned out in the end that the Princess had been correct all along; the boundless trust and faith the younger female possessed for her mate had been completely reciprocated by the powerful Tsiveone, and he had proved to be unbelievably focused and utterly ruthless in his attempts to retrieve the woman he loved.

It was obvious that Galatea had lost this round spectacularly, and that indirectly, the commoner Princess had managed to demonstrate her point without a doubt—the deceptively simple and unassuming young woman had, after all, managed to tame the savage, violent beast that was the Astonian Crown Prince when everyone else before her had tried and failed, proving that the commoners' ideals of love matches and faithful devotion were not as farfetched and ridiculous as the noblewoman had always believed. It was difficult for someone as proud as Galatea to admit that she was wrong, but this was definitely a contest that she had lost before she could even begin to fight for it.

The Marquise de Fronsac's exquisitely beautiful features were startlingly calm and completely self-possessed as she coolly reaffirmed her conviction to Alaisdair.

"It is my loss," she stated once more in a quietly dignified manner. "As such, the entire de Fronsac clan, including myself, will abide by the will of the Tsiveone Royal Family."

Galatea looked unwaveringly at her aristocratic counterpart, and this time, it was clear to Alaisdair that the golden-haired woman was genuinely prepared to do whatever it took to redeem her honor, however unpleasant and self-damaging the acts might be. "What are His Highness's orders?" she enquired expressionlessly. "I assume that he is planning to embroil me in a scandal to ruin my reputation, as a warning to further deter the others."

Alaisdair did not deny her speculation. Actually, Belphegor had intended far worse, having concocted a flawless, multi-layered plot to further trouble and entangle the entire de Fronsac clan _in addition to_ shredding the Marquise's reputation and besmirching her character in a way that would not be easily forgotten or forgiven amongst the noble ranks, and it was only due to Haru's timely interference that the vicious plan had not been put to use.

The dark-haired Archduke shook his head once, much to Galatea's well-concealed disbelief.

"Your assumption is only partially correct, but for the grace of the Princess Consort," he admitted, much to the blonde's slight frown of incomprehension. Alaisdair proceeded to elaborate. "Her Highness interceded on your behalf, Lady Galatea. She believes that you never meant to cause harm to her and had only intended to incapacitate her temporarily, and in her own words, 'in order to comprehend a truth that she has never really believed in.'"

Alaisdair eyed the Marquise intently as she visibly stiffened, this time unable to fully hide the surprise that briefly flittered across her face. Just as quickly, Galatea recomposed herself, but Alaisdair now had his confirmation that there was indeed an odd grain of truth in Haru's strangely cryptic comments when she had entreated the men to be more lenient towards the Marquise. Both Belphegor and himself had been openly skeptical when the brunette had earnestly remarked through the phone that the Frenchwoman was not as callous as she was portraying herself to be, and on the other end of the line, Alaisdair had been promptly treated to the crystal clear acoustics of a long, drawn out argument between the royal couple before Belphegor grudgingly gave in to the stubborn, dogged determination of his wife.

Haru had been very convinced that Galatea was not inherently malevolent, that she could be 'saved,' in a manner of speaking. The two men had been extremely doubtful and nowhere near as naively optimistic as the Princess Consort, though much to Alaisdair's surprise and subsequent chagrin, Belphegor appeared to have suddenly lost his ability to promptly set his foot down and refuse his wife completely, which had eventually led to the situation of the disgruntled royal couple turning to him to determine Galatea's trustworthiness and make the judgment call in their stead. The Archduke had not been thrilled by their mutual agreement to leave the decision to him, well aware that whichever way he chose, he would still be offending someone, not to mention he would definitely be held responsible should anything go wrong.

His job scope was getting more ridiculous every time he turned around, and wryly, Alaisdair could only wonder how bad it was going to be for him when the royal heirs finally arrived. The Archduke decided that he would draw the line at babysitting duty; King or not, Belphegor was definitely no precocious angel when he was young and Alaisdair had no doubt that the future Tsiveone offspring would be just as challenging to deal with, if not worse than their hideously errant father. God help Haru if that was so; the Princess Consort would need all the patience she could get.

Galatea interrupted his musings then. "And Prince Belphegor…agreed to take Her Highness' remarks into consideration?" The tint of disbelief in the blonde's well-modulated voice was not difficult to detect, and Alaisdair could not fault her, especially when he had been rather surprised himself when his usually obstinate cousin actually gave in to his wife, even if in a fit of exasperation.

"Belphegor has decided to abide by Haru's judgment for now." It went without saying that this unexpected stay of mercy could disappear promptly if the Marquise showed the slightest signs of hostility towards the Tsiveone's favored mate.

Galatea's expression went curiously blank.

"I see," the Marquise said at last, calmly. "The Princess Consort of Astonia is more capable than I initially believed."

It went without saying that the brunette was now most probably one of the most powerful individuals in Astonia, especially if she had the ability to sway the opinion of her infamously difficult husband.

"Indeed," Alaisdair agreed blandly, well aware of the positive influence that Haru had on his unruly and bad tempered relative. With any luck, between himself and his cousin-in-law, they would be able to curb most of Belphegor's hell-raising ways. "And it is fortunate that the Princess is neither vengeful nor power hungry in nature, or this situation would have been even more unpleasant for you, Lady Galatea. The only question that now remains is how you'd show your gratitude for her act of mercy."

Violet eyes shuttered. So the commoner Princess fully expected this favor of hers to be repaid—in the end, she was not unlike the other aristocrats, after all. The blonde Frenchwoman was surprised to find herself feel strangely jaded about the discovery.

"I am grateful for Her Highness's intervention," Galatea replied automatically, emotionlessly. "The de Fronsac clan will, of course, fulfill every wish and demand of Her Highness."

Alaisdair shook his head slightly. "Haru had no special requests attached to the condition of sparing you, but Belphegor is not as benevolent. Since Haru was the one who spoke up for you, he has determined that you are to dedicate your full influence and power to help and support her in all ways possible."

The dark-haired aristocrat merely looked staidly at Galatea. "I'm not certain if you comprehend the magnitude of what the Princess has done for you, but you owe her a large debt just for being able to quell Belphegor's fury in the resulting chaos that you have unleashed last night."

Galatea lifted her chin slightly at the Archduke's dryly sardonic reminder. "I'm aware of exactly what I owe the Princess, and I will repay my dues to her." She was simply too proud to do anything else, even though it would be downright uncomfortable for the blonde to admit that she would now have to work for the same woman whom she had lost to, who had taught her a most valuable but humiliating lesson.

"In that case, you will swear to pledge your loyalty to Princess Haru?" Alaisdair probed firmly, his icy blue eyes trained sharply on Galatea. "You will swear that your agreement to serve Her Highness is no part of a greater plot to harm or further threaten the Tsiveone Royal Family, not to mention another attempt to usurp the Princess's position?"

The beautiful Marquise nodded once, stiffly. It was obvious that she did not relish this pointed inquiry on her motivations. "I swear on my honor, whatever that is left of it, that my actions from here on will only be for the benefit of Her Royal Highness. I'm not dense enough to require the same lesson to be taught to me twice, Lord Rousseau."

The dark-haired male arched his brow slightly at the mildly acidic tone of the blonde. "Let's hope you speak the truth, then," he commented in a calm tone, and even though the Frenchwoman stared at him icily, she did not give him the satisfaction of a sharp reply. Undaunted, Alaisdair continued. "From here on, your official appointment will be that of the Princess Consort's Handmaiden. You will be the first in over twenty five years of recent Tsiveone Royal history, the last one being notably-"

"My mother, the Duchess of Richelieu," Galatea cut in coolly then, interrupting the Archduke from his impromptu history recital. "I'm well acquainted with my family's shared past with the Tsiveone Royal lineage, Your Grace, and as such, I'm also well aware of the expectations and duties required of me as royal Handmaiden."

As calmly as always, Alaisdair simply brushed aside the increasingly frosty demeanor of the Marquise in a naturally dismissive manner that would annoy even a saint. He had years of practice after all, when one had to constantly deal with a ridiculously bad tempered and squirrelly Crown Prince cousin.

"In any case," he murmured blithely. "I will be around to ensure that this transition will go smoothly." There was no mistaking the meaning of the dark-haired nobleman, much to the silent infuriation of the Marquise. He would be hovering around her with his disconcerting astute glacier eyes for the foreseeable future, at least until she could prove to be trusted, and as much as it chaffed badly at her pride to be placed under surveillance thusly, she was also well aware that there was nothing she could do to stop him.

"Well then, now that this unpleasant topic has been dealt with; welcome to the team, Lady Galatea."

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

So, this wraps up the situation with the de Fronsac clan. Now you can see why Belphegor had not gone completely ape shit on Galatea and her entire family; they were more useful alive than dead, and as you can see, they will be paying for their folly for quite a long time to come.

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Yes, I made Galatea into Haru's Handmaiden. A Handmaiden has basically the same duties as a Lady-in-waiting; they are companions and assistants appointed to royal/noble women, and are honor bound to protect and always serve in their mistresses' best interests. They are usually noble-born as well, though lower ranked than the women they attend to. Despite Galatea's less than ideal congeniality towards Haru, there's no denying that the noblewoman knows her way around the shark-infested waters that is also known as the Astonian Royal court very well, and that makes her a valuable ally.

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Not really part of the fic or anything, but it suddenly occurred to me that Galatea and Alaisdair might make a rather interesting pairing if they got together. Hmm…perhaps this bears some further thoughts (and plotting)…

Anyway, one more chapter to go, everyone!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	54. Epilogue

**Title:** Of Sparrows and Princes

**Author: **sllebswap

**Beta'd by:** MelissaRose85

**Characters/Pairing: **Miura Haru and Belphegor

**Type:** OneShot Collection (Complete)

**Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

**Word Count:** 5820

**Rating: **T (Contains content not suitable for children)

**Disclaimer:** Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.

**Summary: **TYL ficlet. Various one-shots depicting the complicated relationship between Belphegor and Haru.

**Chapter Last Revised on:** 10/01/13

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**Epilogue**

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Haru flopped onto the couch, a tired sigh escaping her as she leaned back onto the comfortable surface and attempted to meld into it. Today had been an utterly exhausting day, and unfortunately, it wasn't even evening yet. She had just had her stitches removed; the healing, itchy wound on the back of her head had finally mended together, and although Haru had been relieved to know that it was recovering nicely and that the scarring would be minimal, she was not so thrilled with the subsequent checkup that had inevitably followed.

…Apparently—even though they were not strictly required for her injuries and condition—only positive results from the extensive blood work panels as well as the various tedious body scans and complex tests could assure a certain, overly paranoid spouse of hers that she did not suffer any lasting effects from the trauma that had been forced upon her nearly a week ago.

This was not the first time the intensive series of tests were required of her since they returned to the Varia castle—in actuality, it was the fifth—which made it difficult for Haru to be understanding towards her suddenly overprotective husband. It had been almost sweet the first time he had grumpily insisted for the doctors to 'make damn sure that there is nothing wrong with her _or else_,' but after having to go through the mentally exhausting and physically draining tests almost every day for the past week, it was becoming rather trying for Haru to hold onto her normally pleasant and understanding disposition.

Unfortunately, the servants had also thrown in their lot with their fiendishly difficult master, and unlike her typically bold dealings with said stubborn male, Haru was more polite towards the men and women who worked in the Tsiveone household. This was especially so after the kidnapping incident and the brunette had been guilt ridden to learn that the royal staff had harshly blamed themselves for her abduction. The fact that Belphegor had flatly agreed with their faulty impression had only made matters worse; they had failed to watch her, he had remarked matter-of-factly, and therefore they were also partly to blame for not being vigilant.

To make up for their near disastrous oversight, the servants were now extra diligent in ensuring that their Princess's safety was being accounted for at all times, in all manners that mattered. Haru was exasperated with their overcautious treatment, though every time she attempted to broach that particular topic with Mortigor, the butler would effortlessly guilt trip her into accepting the staff's overzealous protection, stoically proclaiming that they would not forgive themselves (not to mention, that Belphegor would really punish the entire lot of them for their incompetence next time) should anything untoward happen to her again. In the brunette's opinion, there was nothing to forgive in the first place, but the servants seemed to be afflicted with a severe case of selective deafness whenever it came to this issue and Haru supposed she should be grateful that they had at least stopped kneeling in front of her to ask for forgiveness.

Somehow, Haru just knew that this was another one of Belphegor's elaborate methods to punish her for being careless enough to be kidnapped, as if it he wasn't still yelling at her on and off for it at the most random times for the better part of the week, as and when he suddenly felt like it. Her pride had already taken a severe beating from all his growling and bluster, and adding that to the exhausting checkups that she had to endure for the past week at his stubborn insistence, the brunette had to disgruntledly conclude that even though her husband was disinclined to harm her physically, he was still more than capable of meting out cruel and unusual punishments.

With no other pressing matters to focus on at the moment, Belphegor had then decided to place all of his attention on her, much to her bewilderment and surprise. He hadn't strayed far from her ever since they returned from Lombardy, and although he wasn't exactly hovering anxiously around her like a fretting, overly worried spouse, he still remained close by, a protectively watchful sentinel guarding his injured mate. He behaved no differently from usual, but she had grown quite attuned to his habits and immediately noticed the slight deviations from his daily routines.

She had been touched by and smitten with his gruff, unspoken display of concern at first, but unfortunately, the warm feeling of appreciation didn't last long. Haru was not pleased when she found out that he had banned her from working until she had completely recovered from her injuries, and no amount of reasoning could persuade him otherwise. The fact that the servants had happily agreed with their master had not helped matters at all, and Haru had been extremely disgruntled to find herself confined to their wing of the castle, being waited on hand and foot and not allowed to lift anything more strenuous than a fork and a spoon.

Belphegor was hardly sympathetic to her displeased muttering when he returned to her in the evenings, and often told her bluntly that she was mostly to blame for this situation, and so, instead of being a happy, injured but productive person like she would be if allowed to work, she could jolly well just be miserable and useless like every other invalid out there.

The blonde had declined to go on assignments that would take more than a day to accomplish for the most recent quarterly duty rotation and the other Commanders had easily accepted his decision. The Storm Varia executive had accomplished more than his share of long-termed missions in the last five years and he had every right to slow down and take a lighter workload for a couple of months; especially right now, when he had his injured mate to tend to.

Haru disagreed. The brunette felt that she was just mere inches away from throwing up a white flag of surrender and going off to beg any one of the Varia Commanders to take her ridiculous spouse off her hands. An extended assignment for her meddling husband sounded very good to her actually, especially if it would keep him from being constantly underfoot and in the way of her work. Unfortunately, her wish was unlikely to be granted, judging by how Belphegor was adamantly staying on her tail, Haru thought mournfully.

As if on cue, the man whom she was having such a beef with at the moment strolled into the room, and the brunette stirred from her seat at the couch, cracking open an eye to give him a bleary stare.

"I don't think I like you very much right now," she mumbled succinctly by way of greeting, too weary to elaborate further on her displeasure. Of course, she was promptly ignored as her husband came over to sit beside her all the same, and she made an irritated sound of protest when he reached out and pushed her hair aside to inspect her newly closed wound. Haru frowned belligerently but knew better than to try to smack him away. He would just get his way in the end no matter what she did and she would become even more cross and agitated in the process, and so she did not bother. Reluctantly, she held still for him to look at her injury, which by now had healed to form a faint, pale pink scar that was barely noticeable at the back of her scalp.

He scowled at the glaring, permanent reminder of her now sealed wound, as if morally offended by its very existence. Haru grimaced with exasperation at his increasingly crabby expression, her multiple experiences with this familiar scenario warning her that there was a high probability she was going to be sharply rebuked again for letting herself be kidnapped and then getting injured to boot. Really, it had already been an entire week; one would think he would have gotten over it by now, but that was sadly not the case. If anything, Haru suspected that he had been reserving the worst of it in uncharacteristic consideration towards her previously wounded, traumatized state, and would soon upend everything on her head now that she was more or less back to her healthy self.

The brunette winced inwardly; she was not looking forward to the experience. Still, she gravitated towards her surly-looking husband all the same, instinctively craving the physical comfort that only he could provide especially after such a tiring day, and scooted over slightly to lean her head against his shoulder, wordlessly welcoming him home with the simple acceptance of his presence. Almost visibly, the tension in him dissipated at the contact, and similarly, her irritation with everything in general also started to ease away, somehow becoming less pressing on her mind now that he was by her side. She relaxed into him and closed her eyes, turning her face into the side of his neck and lightly brushing her lips against his skin in an absently affectionate gesture.

The blonde huffed with blustering disgruntlement, not about to allow his temper to be soothed by his wife, even if she did seem to be doing it unconsciously.

"You are going to turn into an ugly and disfigured hag at the rate you are accumulating these injuries, and I'm going to be very pissed off and angry when you do," he commented bluntly then, completely without tact as always. It quickly became Haru's turn to scowl, especially when he seemed so certain that was what would really happen. Belphegor promptly bit off an expletive when she pulled back abruptly from him and pinched his arm hard in retaliation, visibly offended by his remark.

"I'm not going to turn into an ugly and disfigured hag," she muttered back just as irritably, giving him a fierce glower while she was at it. "And even if I do, you are stuck with me, being married to me and all."

"Exactly, which is why I will be quite pissed off and angry when it happens," he told her shortly only to suffer another uncomfortable nip from her. The annoyed blonde hissed out another curse. "Stop doing that!"

"Stop calling me that!" she demanded in return, all the lethargy from earlier disappearing quickly in light of her irritating husband. As usual, he was proving to be amazingly adept at annoying her out of whatever funk she was steeped in and this time was no different. "You are more likely to become a crotchety old coot first before I even remotely resemble a hag."

Now, it was his turn to look miffed. "Crotchety old coot?" he parroted back with a snort. "Please, I'm a Prince; do you really think that I'd actually let myself degenerate to the level of a 'crotchety old coot?'"

Haru didn't even need to pause to consider his question. "Judging by how grumpy and temperamental you are already now, yes, I have very little difficulty picturing you as a crusty, curmudgeonly, old fart sixty years down the road, waving your walking stick at the grandchildren and grouchily yelling some nonsense about royal pride and all that."

Never mind that she was already thinking of grandchildren, but Belphegor was visibly appalled and offended at the unflattering mental image that Haru had painted of him, much to the brunette's rousing amusement. It seemed that her overactive imagination could be helpful at times too, and Haru could not resist adding to the picture, enthusiastically warming up to the topic.

"I bet you'd be balding by then too, and all speckled with liver spots until your pate would gleam like a spotted egg. The young ones would be mischievously urging each other on to drop water balloons on the shining target that is your head to help cool down your hotheaded self, or steal your dentures to help you find your missing sense of humor, or-"

She was definitely having way too much fun thinking of the still distant future, while her husband just looked increasingly horrified at her overly detailed descriptions, and much to his dismay, the mental pictures weren't going away. If anything, they were becoming clearer and more defined with each of her increasingly absurd depictions of his fictional geriatric appearance, which Belphegor really did not want to think about any more than he really had to.

"Stop," he interrupted her in an almost undignified croak before she could gleefully add on to his discomfort, but she had that ridiculously dreamy look on her face that told him her head was already far up amongst the clouds and she was no longer registering his protest. She did return to her senses before she could really do irreparable damage to his psychology _and_ ego, turning her eyes to him and looking at him as if she had just seen him in an entirely new light, although he wasn't quite sure if she was just attempting to superimpose the mental image of a bald, spotted head and a gummy, toothless grin on him.

Belphegor was understandably outraged when a startled giggle escaped her then, and before he could retaliate by reminding her that she would be every bit as old and wrinkly as he was by then, she shook her head slightly and continued, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. "I can picture you already; determined to chase down those fleet footed little rascals and teach them a lesson they won't forget, but first you'd have to remember where you placed your reading glasses because you'd be blind as a bat without them-"

A quiet peal of laughter erupted from her lips once more at the immensely hilarious image that was playing in her head. "Oh, Bel—how could I not see this earlier—you are already grouchy and cantankerous. In sixty years, the only difference is that you will be _old_, grouchy, and cantankerous." Her eyes danced with mirth but remained steady and so very warm as she blithely continued. "And I already love you so much now," she told him frankly and unpretentiously. "I'm sure that I'd love you even more by then."

He was momentarily struck speechless by her candid remark, his earlier annoyance with the conversation disappearing completely as he stared at the sheer openness of her features, the simplicity of her easygoing remark belying the sincerity and genuine affection that could be heard in her tone. She was obviously no longer irritated with him—she had always been quick to anger and just as fast to forgive and forget—and apparently feeling quite cheerful and delighted now as she painted such a _rosy_ picture of his future, but for the life of him, Belphegor just could not seem to think of anything other than how amazingly beautiful his wife was at the moment with that stupidly goofy grin on her face, and that he really was the luckiest man alive to have found and married her.

The urge to do something completely uncharacteristic—_like suddenly blurt out that he is in love with h_er—was overwhelming, but he managed to snap out of it before he could make an idiot out of himself. The Varia assassin quickly re-gathered his momentarily scattered wits and scowled deliberately at her.

"I'm not going to be the only one growing old by then," he told her pointedly at last, but she only nodded and continued to smile, unperturbed, her gaze turning slightly misty as she did so.

"Yeah, I know," she answered softly, the look in her eyes turning impossibly tender as she considered their future. "We'd grow old together, and I guess I will become the baggy old hag to your crusty old fart after all, my dear husband. We will be wrinkly and saggy together, so you don't have to worry that I'll be leaving you anytime soon."

She clearly understood the reason behind the fuss he had kicked up over her injuries, and in her own overly romantic and sweet manner, had reassured him that she was not going to die on him so easily. He just continued to stare at her intently, and just when she was about to think that he thought her ridiculous after all, he snorted and looked away.

"I'm not worried," he replied. "I'm more than capable of keeping you by my side. It just pisses me off when you get hurt for no good reason whatsoever." There was no longer any reason good enough for him to warrant her getting hurt, but she didn't have to know that right now and he sure as hell wasn't about to tell her. Still, she seemed to know what he meant, for her eyes softened and she leaned her head on his shoulder once more, everything alright in her world again.

He grumbled. "And I don't ever want to hear anything about wrinkles, saggy skin and balding hair ever again, especially if you are going to reference them to me," he muttered with a disgruntled shudder, and she rolled her eyes with exasperation.

"You are so vain," she told him in return, and he sneered slightly.

"As if you aren't the same," he retorted.

"Not as much as you are, that's for sure, and besides, you were the one who started it with all that 'ugly hag' nonsense. As least I was being objective."

Belphegor had an incredulous look on his face then. "Objective?" he echoed with blatant disbelief. "You were already fantasizing about having grandchildren, and you aren't even pregnant yet!" The blonde paused, a funny look fleeting across his face, and then he hurriedly turned to look at her. "Wait; are you?"

Haru's cheeks colored at his probing question and she instinctively shook her head. "_No_. I- I mean, I don't know, or at least, I don't think so. I might be, of course…" she meandered off meaningfully, her face pinking further. After all, they led quite an active sex life and had also recently stopped taking birth control measures while they were going most enthusiastically at it, and her periods had always been somewhat irregular though she hadn't encountered it this month yet…

He caught sight of her flustered features and then tilted his head slightly to study her briefly. The blonde tried to picture his slender wife pregnant with his child, her body softly rounded and nurturing the next generation of Tsiveone blood, and promptly felt an instinctive surge of masculine satisfaction and possessiveness inundate his very being. He started to smirk, pleased by the possibilities.

"You don't know? Well, let's solve that problem right now and visit the medical wing. I'm sure they can run some tests to find out."

Haru, while stunned by her husband's unexpectedly excited demeanor, quickly balked at the ominous T-word. "No, no, no! I have been prodded and poked at for more times than I can count the whole of this week! I'm not going to go anywhere near the medical wing for the next year unless it's an emergency and I'm critically injured or dying." Haru was definitely very vehement on that point, having developed a healthy aversion to the place that had caused her such misery for the past few days. The professional staff had been helpful and kind of course, but Haru would be blessed if she didn't see a syringe or a medical bed for as long as she possibly could.

"Don't be ridiculous; how else will we know if you are pregnant?" he demanded. Haru just stared at him, not sure why they were even discussing this in the first place.

"Simple; we aren't," she replied with a small suspicious frown at him. "If I'm pregnant, my body will start showing the signs. If I'm not, well, it's not as if we aren't trying hard already, so there's really no urgent need to know."

He looked at her incredulously. "Of course there is a need to know! The sooner we have a positive result, the sooner the Royal Council will get off our case and go bug someone else!"

Haru started to look irritated. "You know, I'm starting to doubt that you are actually ready to be a parent, especially when you keep insisting on treating our hypothetical children like pawns even before they are born."

Belphegor didn't even bother to deny her accusation, dismissively waving his hand in the air as he dispelled her concerns. "Of course they will be pawns. They will be my little princes and princesses, born to an influential and powerful Royal clan; it is their fates and their duty to be useful to their family—better to be a pawn than a liability, I always say." The golden-haired Varia paused briefly as he mulled over his words, and then continued. "At least, that will be so until they eventually grow smart enough to think for themselves, and attempt to outwit me. Hmm…then I think I will just pick a favorite and attempt to get rid of the rest."

He spoke like he was about to embark on a shopping expedition. Unfortunately, Haru did not feel the same. The brunette gasped with outrage and quickly sat up straight, looking at her crazy husband accusingly. "Attempt to get rid of the rest?" she echoed sharply. "What do you mean by 'attempt to get rid of the rest?' It better not be what I think you mean," she warned, narrowing her eyes dangerously at him.

He had the gall to grin and shrug carelessly at her in response. "Don't worry, I won't try very hard. It's the Tsiveone tradition, you see. Supposed to be good for familial bonding, and also for culling the really stupid ones from the family bloodline."

He sounded so casual and laidback that she could not help but stare at him in disbelief, not sure if he was actually kidding or not. Then Haru groaned inwardly to herself; who was she trying to bluff, of course he meant every word! The brunette barely refrained from reaching up and rubbing her temples. "I…I don't know what to say," she muttered in a defeated tone at last, wondering not for the first time just how on earth she had fallen in love with this insane maniac. "Why did I ever agree to marry a lunatic?" Haru lamented to herself.

Said lunatic, who was drawing lazy patterns on the skin of her knee, chuckled. "You couldn't resist my charming personality," he remarked helpfully in answer, sounding so shamelessly smug in the process that Haru could not help but shoot him a mildly disdainful look.

"Yes, you were definitely very charming when you were pestering me to marry you," she agreed dryly. "Definitely charmed the pants right off me, you did."

His smile widened at the opening that she had so thoughtfully given to him, and he ignored her sassiness. "Oh, but I definitely did more than just 'charm the pants right off you,' as you so aptly put it. If I recall correctly, you couldn't seem to get enough when I was between your-"

"Belphegor!" Haru hissed, cheeks reddening, not amused by his crudeness. He smirked unrepentantly at her.

"Now that we have established just how much you adore me, how about you become an obedient, docile wife now and do as I say?"

The flustered brunette shot him a stare. "You know that I'd just do the opposite, right?"

His smile did not waver. "Is that a challenge, my dear little sparrow?" he purred silkily, his hand lazily sliding up her thigh, his head lowered towards hers as he leaned in and blatantly nipped at the skin at the side of her neck. Haru shivered in response even as she scowled at him. She also quickly grabbed his itchy hand before it could reach dangerous territory.

"Don't think you can distract me into an agreement," she muttered disgruntledly. "It's not going to work this time."

He studied her stubbornly set features briefly, and his smirk widened slightly to form a small grin. He did quit attempting to feel her up, though. "You know, since you can never seem to say 'no' to Mortigor and the servants, I can always sic him and the rest on you, if you want to do it that way."

Haru had obviously not thought of that. The brunette froze up briefly, and then an unmistakable expression of dread crossed her features. If the stoic butler ever caught wind of her hypothetical conception and subsequent refusal to see a doctor, then there would definitely be hell to pay. Haru was quite sure that she would be politely harassed and subtly pressured by the entire household until she caved in and went along meekly with the demands of the majority.

Knowing the staff's collective dedication and zealous commitment to Belphegor and the Tsiveone royal bloodline, not to mention their careful, overprotective tendencies when it came to her nowadays, Haru had a very good idea of just what their reaction would be when she finally did conceive. The Princess Consort really did groan out loud this time.

"I'm going to be put on bed rest for the rest of my life," she bemoaned miserably. Her completely unsympathetic husband just giggled like a loon beside her, and as usual, he was taking exceptional joy in her misery. Haru glared at him, simply too exhausted to take further issue with his unsupportive demeanor.

"I don't think I want to have your children anymore, especially if you insist on being so immature about this," she grumbled. He remained shamelessly unperturbed by her irritation, and leered at her.

"It's far too late for regrets now," he cackled gleefully. "Remember that piece of paper you signed before your teary father and the nice marriage officiate? That means you basically agreed to bear all of my children and I'm most definitely not going to let you go anywhere until you fulfill your end of the bargain, my dear wife."

Haru suddenly had a disturbing mental image of a maniacally exuberant Belphegor forcing babies out of her until she was old and grey, with jubilant servants celebrating in the background as miniature versions of her husband ran amok and raised hell in the castle. She turned slightly pale.

"You make it sound like I'm your baby making machine, which I'm most definitely not!" Haru was quick to sputter out defensively in case he got any ideas. Unfortunately for her, he already had plenty of ideas floating about in that devious mind of his and she was just about to find out what they were.

"No?" he drawled innocently, leaning in even closer. "That's not what you promised when you said 'I do?'"

"I only said 'I do' to marrying you, not to bearing you an entire castle full of children!"

"Doesn't it equate to the same thing? You agree to marry me, you agree to have as many children as we can both humanly produce, till death do us part, etcetera, etcetera?"

Haru was appalled. "Of course not! No woman would appreciate being treated like a brood mare, Bel, and I am no exception. I'd like to be given the option to choose whether or not to have children, thank you very much." The brunette sounded rather huffy at the end, but Belphegor just rolled his eyes inwardly at her prickly, feminist pride.

"You are aware that we have not been practicing any form of birth control for the past few months and therefore it is too late for you to start reconsidering if you really do want children now, right?" he pointed out baldly, exasperated with her circular argument, which wasn't going anywhere—or making any sense, for that matter.

"I'm not reconsidering," she insisted. "I'd love nothing more than to have our children, but I do not want you to take me for granted either."

She was being completely ridiculous. He really did roll his eyes this time, and in response to her inane concern, he reached up and pinched her cheeks. She squeaked in surprise, and her unexpected reaction was so amusing that he had no qualms pinching harder and tugging at her skin until her mouth was stretched in an uncomfortable, almost grotesque grin. He chuckled as she glared at him and tried to pull away from his grip, but unfortunately for her, he held firm, waiting with loving patience until she quit struggling.

"Listen well, for I will only say this once." He waited until he had her complete, albeit grudging, attention, before continuing. "Your worries are silly and unfounded. I was never able to ignore you even at the beginning, so what makes you think that I'd be able to take you for granted, hmm?"

Haru could not help herself; she blushed at his frank, blunt statement. He smirked at her flustered expression, amused by her inherently modest nature.

"Let me go," she muttered in a muffled tone, and when he complied, he was surprised that she did not try to hit him in retaliation for pinching her. Instead, his sweet little wife merely crawled onto his lap in an unspoken request to be held, something he was quite happy to do since it gave him the opportunity to touch her—and he would never turn that down. She pressed her cheek against his chest and settled into his embrace, cuddling close until she was comfortable, and he leaned back onto the couch, his arms wrapped around her waist, his head dropping forward to kiss and nuzzle the side of her neck, and she sighed softly, relaxing further into his hold.

The air around them settled, became peaceful, and they were both content for it to remain that way for a little longer.

He started to stroke her lazily, and her gaze slowly took on a sleepy, languid, quality, until it was quickly becoming a challenge to keep her eyes open and remain lucid.

"Hey," Belphegor spoke quietly, attempting to regain her attention.

"Hmm?" She sounded half asleep, so he prodded her sharply awake. "Ow- stop that! What do you want now?" Haru was definitely alert again by then, not to mention a bit irritated as well.

He rolled his eyes heavenwards as if asking for patience. "This conversation is not over yet, so don't fall asleep on me. Let's get the test done now."

Haru balked briefly, but knew that she was fighting a losing battle. Besides, she _was_ being admittedly childish over the whole debacle, blowing it way out of proportions. The brunette sighed once more. "Will you stop pestering me about this if I promise to go tomorrow? I'm feeling too comfortable where I am to want to move right now."

His cocky smirk told her that he knew he had won this time, and therefore he did not push the issue further. "I will go with you tomorrow," he offered with god awful cheerfulness. "You know, to hold your hand, be supportive, and make sure you don't get cold feet and run off half way."

Haru had a bad feeling that he was just going along to fluster the doctors and intimidate the rest of the medical staff. "You know what? I think it'd be better if I just go alone, Bel. You don't need to tag along as well. Really, I think I'd actually feel better if you didn't. You have already terrified enough medical personnel this week alone and they hardly deserve another round of having to put up with you."

Haru was aware that she was rambling by then, but Belphegor just waved her concerns away, as usual. "Nonsense. They are richly compensated for their time as well as for 'putting up with me,' as you have so nicely described it. Besides, if they cannot even take a bit of heat, then they have no right to be working here, since compared to Xanxus' infamous temper, I consider myself nothing more than a tame pussycat."

Haru gave him a disbelieving stare. "You? A tame pussycat?" She shook her head and huffed. "Then I suppose I must be a living doormat then," she muttered.

"Well," he drawled. "That's a rather apt description, but then again, that doormat persona of yours does have an unexpected tendency to trip up unsuspecting individuals when they least expect it, so it's a nice deceptive front that you have adopted."

Haru just gave him a cross look. "I'm not trying to trip anyone." Then she sighed. "I think the entire lot of you Varia should just go for counseling and anger management courses," she responded instead.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, and after which you'd propose that we just talk our targets to death, is that it? We are the Varia Assassination Squad, not the Vongola Tuesday Knitting Club, you silly woman. Why would we want to do away with our aggression when we can use it to complete our missions instead?"

Haru had had enough of his rudeness and so she raised her hand and swiped at the back of his head irritably. "Stop calling me names. What are you, six?"

He scowled at her and righted the crown that she had displaced with her attack. "So says the one who is physically abusing her poor, defenseless husband. Progressing to domestic violence so soon, huh?"

Haru flushed, then glared slightly at him. She made a frustrated sound in her throat before letting it all go. She slumped back into his arms. "I give up. You can do whatever you want tomorrow."

He chuckled softly, and then soothed away her discontentment by rubbing absently at her back. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" he cooed lovingly to her, though she stubbornly refused to respond to him. She did curl her arms around his neck and rest her head on his chest though, concentrating more on the warmth of his touch and less on his demented cackling. At the same time, the brunette rested her hand on her flat belly and quietly contemplated a future with their children; nurturing them, loving them, watching them grow up, all the wonderful memories that they would make, the various antics and adventures that they would be on, and suddenly, she could not help but feel an irrepressible optimism and excitement growing in her.

"I don't know if we will make good parents," she spoke softly then, out of the blue. "But I truly think that our children will be something really special."

Belphegor didn't even bother to be modest. He gave her a sharp grin.

"What are you talking about? They are our kids. They will be fucking amazing, or I will drown them in the toilet and we will try again."

"Oh, for the love of god…"

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_And the sparrow and her Prince lived happily ever after…_

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_::owari::_

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**Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

And this is really the end, everyone! I'm glad to announce that this fic is _finally_ done!

I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this ridiculously fluffy epilogue; I certainly had a lot of fun writing it, that's for sure!

'Of Sparrows and Princes' is hands down the longest fic that I have ever completed, and as someone with the attention span of a retarded gnat, I'm really proud of myself for having finished this. To all the lovely readers who had tolerantly soldiered through all the irregular updates and frequent hiatuses, thank you all _so much_ for your patient support and encouraging words!

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Last but not least, to all the readers who had subscribed to this fic, even though I will be changing its status to 'Completed,' please do not unsubscribe from it yet. I'm reluctant to make any promises as of right now, but I have intention to post various vignettes and/or one-shots depicting the family life of BelHaru and their adorable fanbabies, and perhaps also the slowly blossoming relationship of a certain Archduke and Marquise. These, obviously, would be the 'extras' independent of the main fic, though I'm still debating whether or not to post those up as a new fic instead. What do all of you think?

Anyway! Long story short, this will not be the last you have seen of me! To be honest, I'm in the process of writing another BelHaru fic, though hopefully it won't be as lengthy as this one, haha. Please look forward to it!

Until next time, my lovelies!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	55. AnnouncementUpdate

**ANNOUNCEMENT/UPDATE:**

Hello, my fellow BelHaru fans! It's been a while, and I'd like to take this opportunity to announce that the 'Of Sparrows and Princes' outtakes/extras/sequel is finally up!

It's called 'And They Lived Happily Ever After,' and the first chapter is out! The link, obviously, can be found on my profile page; hope to hear from some of you lovelies soon! =)

Lots of love,

sllebswap


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